Save Me, Please
by mywayornoway
Summary: No one had ever needed him as much as Harry did, and he would not fail again. He promised he would take care of Harry and now he will. Bad sumery but please read. Adopted from Gothic Godess.
1. Chapter 1

**Warning: rated R for rape, violence, and voulgure language. Don't like, don't read.**

**I obviously don't own Harry Potter. If I did I would be rich, famous, and Sirius Black would never have been murdered.**

As Harry was doing chores in the kitchen he saw his reflection in the mirror and cringed. There was no trace of the happy Quidditch loving boy he was the previous year at Hogwarts, he was now a completely different person. His bloody cuts, scars, and bruises were in contrast to his chalk- white skin. His eyes weren't as bright as they usually were no they were dull and haunted- looking. Harry's poor face was tearstained. Heavy rings around his eyes showed the truth, Harry hadn't gotten much sleep due to the fact that any of the Dursleys would beat him if he had a nightmare and yelled. Staying awake at night was the only way he could be sure that wouldn't happen and the only way he could keep safe. As for Harry's smile, it had been replaced by a frown ever since school had let out.

Dudley's old hand- me- downs were dirty and ripped from the abuse Harry had gone through. He had lost so much weight from being starved that Dudleys huge cloths almost fell off of him. He had to use cloths pins to keep them from completely falling off, not that Dudley or Vernon would mind, it excited them to see their "fuck toy" naked. Fuck toy was just one of their pet names for Harry. Pain almost over took Harry's body but he had to keep going.

Things had been hell since he arrived at the Dursleys for summer break. Vernon had gotten laid off at his job and Dudley was off for summer vacation. The two spent their time drinking at a pub. They left Harry alone with a long list of chores to do. In the afternoon the two came home drunk and took their anger out on Harry by torturing him until he was crying in pain, or unconscious. Then it would be both Dudley's or Vernon's turn to rape Harry and sleep with him. During this time they were allowed to do any perverted thing their mind could think up. Harry was chained to the bed and stripped so he couldn't prevent himself from being made into the perverted sex toy they enjoyed him to be.

Vernon wouldn't let Hedwig escape her cage because he didn't want Harry to send for help. Harry tried to keep going with all the cruel things his family did. He had to. He had a piece of paper in his room that he used to count the days until he returned to Hogwarts. Once he got their he'd go straight to Madam Pomfrey to ask her for help with his injuries. After that he'd tell Dumbledore what happened, Dumbledore would surely find him a new home and Harry would never have to see the Dursleys ever again. One more day. One more day. He thought to himself with each painful step he took to the bathroom to clean the sink.

But Harry knew his determination was in vain. Vernon was probably planning on torturing him all summer and then killing him when Hogwarts started. Harry quickly looked at his chore list to get the thought out of his mind. Clean windows? Check! Fix TV? Check! Wash toilets? Check! Clean house? Check! Mop house? Check! Clean sinks in bathroom? Clean sinks in bathroom? Harry gasped it was five minutes before Vernon and Dudley got back from the bar, and Petunia got back from work and Harry hadn't even started on the final chore. Vernon made himself perfectly clear from day one if Harry didn't finish the chores everyday Vernon would finish him. Harry rushed to finish the chore trying to ignore how badly his body hurt from the days previous abuse. Just as he finished the last sink the Dursleys entered the house.

"Come here now, boy." Yelled a voice that Harry recognized as Aunt Marge. She was nicer to her dogs when she was telling them what to do then she was to Harry.

Harry rushed down the stairs and greeted Marge and her huge dog. He was terrified of her big dog and it's tendency to attack him.

"Have you finished all of your chores?" Vernon asked.

Harry handed him the list. "Yes I did," Harry said.

"Well, where's dinner then?" Vernon asked.

"What?" Harry said. He didn't remember seeing cooking dinner on the list. His heart raced. He kneew he was going to get it for not having dinner done. If they didn't kill him tonight he silently vowed to never forget to cook dinner again, however if it was not on the list and he wasn't suppose to cook dinner he would be in as much trouble.

"It's right here," Vernon said. He pointed to the fourth item on the list.

Harry's eyes widened. How had he forgotten that. Aunt Marge liked this chance to torture Harry very much. Vernon sensed this and decided to use it to his advantage.

"So Marge what should we do to the bastard. Shall we gag him and beat him?" Vernon asked.

"No something worse. Since he failed to cook us food I think it would only be fair to cook him? Dudley stuff him into the stove." Marge ordered.

Harry started to shake uncontrollably. Tears fell from his eyes and into his checks. Dudley grabbed him. Harry tried to fight back but Dudley was stronger then HArry was in his starved state. He pushed Harry into the stove easily. "P-please don't hurt me. I'm sorry I forgot. If you let me go I p-promise I'll cook for you." Harry begged.

"No, it's to much fun to watch you suffer?" Dudley said.

Vernon closed the door and held it closed so Harry couldn't get out. Petunia put the stove on high. The burner burnt Harry's bare feet, his face, and his under protected bear skin. It was more painful than anything Harry had ever experienced. He hit the door hard but Vernon was still holding the door shut. Harry cried louder and harder. He was in pain, so much pain. The Dursleys were laughing Harry didn't understand who they could find his pain so funny. Finally Vernon opened the door and let Harry out. Harry collapsed to the ground.

Vernon and Dudley started kicking, punching, and stepping on Harry. Bruises appeared where he'd been punched or kicked. Marge let her dog off his chain. The dog began barking and attacking Harry. The dog scratched and bit Harry leaving painful red gashes Blood was surrounding him in a large lake.

"Why are you doing this?" Harry asked struggling to talk through his shaking and crying.

"Because you deserve it. You're a bad boy. You deserve to die." Petunia said as if it was the most obvious question in the world.

Vernon and Dudley continued to beat Harry harshly until he lost all concisenesses. Vernon dragged the lifeless boy into the cupboard under the stairs. He had an important call to make before Harry gained conciseness.

"Are you going to rape Harry again tonight?" Petunia asked looking at her husband proudly.

"No this time I'm going to pay professional prostitutes. That will teach it to behave." Vernon said.

Harry slowly opened his eyes. He realized he was tied to the bed and stripped by chains. It was that time of night. He wondered who he "belonged" to tonight. He wasn't surprised when he saw Vernon walk in.

"Did you have fun?" Marge asked sarcastic.

Harry didn't reply. He just started crying. His whole body was shaking. He'd never felt so alone or scared before in his whole life. He wanted someone to save him, any one. The prostitutes violated him in the worst way. Harry was having a hard time keeping his sanity or his dignity. Harry now fully understood his role at the Dursleys house. He belonged to them body, mind, and soul. The Dursleys could do anything to Harry. No one would stop them from hurting him. Probably no one even cared.

"Stop being such a baby. You're not a baby. You're a whore and a bastard. The only thing you'll ever be good for is sex." Dudley yelled.

Vernon smiled at Dudley proudly. Then he turned to Harry. He glared at Harry.

"No one in _that_ world loves you." Vernon talked about the wizard world like it was a swear word. "When we kill you so you so you can't return to the freak school everyone will be happy. They all hate you." Vernon yelled.

Harry remembered who Ron and Hermione always enjoyed hanging out with him. He remembered who the Weasleys always wanted him to live with them over the summer. He though of his beloved Godfather and who Sirius was so proactive of him. He remembered who Dumbledore valued his word.

"That's not true." Harry said fiercely.

"Then who come no one's written to you or tried to save you." Dudley asked although he was hiding Harry's letters.

Harry cried more. How did Dudley know that had been haunting him since he got his first beating of the summer.

"Oh looks like Harry's little friend's forgot about him. Or maybe they knew we were doing this to you and they approved of it." Vernon said. "I bet they being nice to you because they pitied you, but deep down they know you deserved this." Vernon could see he wasn't succeeding in hurting Harry's feelings, because he knew Vernon was lying, so he switched his insults rapidly. "After all you're the reason you're parents are dead. Not that I care about or even like those freaks but, if it weren't for you they'd still be living happily. If you're dad saw you now he'd be ashamed to call you his son. He'd see you as you truly are a horrible child that no father could ever be proud of. If you're mother was here she'd be so embarrassed of the slut her son has become that she'd cry. She'd see you as what you really are an idiot that no mother could ever love."

Harry knew that Vernon was right. Then Vernon reached for his gun. He shot Hedwig. With a heart- reaching screech she died. Harry could take all the phsycal pain, it was after all what he deserved, in his mind anyway; but shotting Hedwig was a new kind of pain. Hedwig had done nothing to deserve getting shot, she was a good bird and a good friend to Harry. It was Hedwig that had kept him going for the past couple of weeks. Without her Harry didn't think he would have the strength to continue on.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Before Harry fell unconscious he promised to do whatever the Dursleys wanted if he regained consciousness.

Sirius woke up for the third time in a week screaming. He had another nightmare. It was about Harry again, he was used to waking up screaming after having nightmares about Harry being abused, but this one was worse. In this one the Dursleys gave Harry an unreasonably long list of chores to do and they beat him for not completing the list. Marge as he remembered Harry calling her in his dream told Dudley to stuff him into the stove. Dudley did so happily. Then Marge's large dog help Vernon and Dudley attack Harry. When Harry finally fell unconscious Vernon chained Harry to his bed and paid prostitutes to rape him. Then Vernon yelled at Harry and told him his parents would be ashamed of him. Sirius woke up when Vernon shot Hedwig.

Sirius couldn't stand seeing his godson abused every night without knowing if Harry was okay. He had to see him. Sirius stood up and opened his dresser drawer. He grabbed a hallow book and opened it. Inside was a grayish-green potion bottle. This was the Golden potion it would show the person how used it anyone they wished to see. Sirius shivered it was illegal in the wizarding world. Voldemort was currently using it to track people. Sirius knew he shouldn't use the potion, but it was an emergency if the dreams were true Harry could be dieing now. Sirius drank the potion he immediately saw purple clouds.

'Cleptine Harry," Sirius said loudly and clearly.

Sirius immediately saw Harry. What Sirius saw made him want to cry. Harry was naked and unconscious on a blood stained bed. Bruises, burns, and cuts were everywhere on his overly skinny body. His arms and legs chained to the bed. Sirius's heart fell when he realized why. They had actually rapped his Godson the Dursleys were monsters and they needed to die. Sirius would get revenge for his Harry. Harry started talking in his sleep. Sirius strained his ears to hear what Harry was saying.

"Help me, Sirius. It hurts. Make them stop. Help me, Sirius, Ron, Hermione, Dad. It hurts." Harry groaned. Then he started screaming. Sirius couldn't make out what he was saying but the words help, hurts and Sirius were apparent.

"I'm done." Sirius said and his normal vision came back.

Sirius felt a wave of furry come over him. He planned to make the Dursleys stop, stop breathing that is.

Then Sirius felt guilty, if he had only believed his dreams he could have saved Harry along time ago. The Dursleys didn't deserve to have such a sweet relative. Harry didn't deserve this. The most horrible thing about what Sirius had just seen was Harry having his eyes closed. While this may have seemed small and irrelevant without his mother's eyes, Harry looked just like his father. Sirius almost got confused and forgot that the boy he saw wasn't James. He would never let harm come to James. To see his son being tortured by muggles was horrible.

He had to save Harry quickly, even if it met getting caught by the dementers. Sirius quickly grabbed his wand and his broom, just in case Harry was too hurt for disapperation. Then he ran out of the door and disapperated in an alley a block away from Private Drive Number 4.

It was the closest that he could get to Harry's house becouse of the wards set up for Harry's protection. By the time he got to Private Drive the memories of what he had seen kept replaying in his mind. Sirius tried to shake the images out of his head but they just came back stronger. Sirius now knew that they were real. They had happened to Harry. Why didn't Sirius take his dreams seriously? Sirius started to cry when he finally got to the Dursley's house. He realized that Harry might have already died. He would've failed James again. Sirius ran to the front door and with his wand blasted it open.

Sirius stormed through the door. He didn't mind waking the Dursleys up. He was ready to kill them, if they got in his way. Sirius looked around the house. It was so clean. The cleanness made him furious. He knew Harry had been forced to keep the house that way. Harry had been made to spend the summer cleaning instead of what he should have been doing over the summer, which was having fun and playing Quidditch. But Harry did a great job. Maids were paid to clean and their cleaning wasn't even close to these standards. Harry was rewarded by getting an easier beating and a steal slice of bread if he was lucky. Pictures of Dudley being spoiled were all over the living room. Harry hardly got a good meal and Dudley was pampered. It wasn't fair.

Sirius used his dog noise and followed the scent of blood to a small cupboard under the stairs. He used his wand to unlock three large locks on the door. The inside of Harry's room was horrible. There was blood everywhere even in places Sirius never expected like on the ceiling. Along the wall were all kinds of weapons; a baseball bat, an iron, lots of knifes, razors, a whip, belts, cat' o' nine tails, chains, restraints, and lots of things that could be used for sexual torture. They all had Harry's blood on them which was a clear indication that they had currently been used on Harry. Sirius flashed back to one horrible nightmare where Dudley used every weapon on Harry one at a time, even when he feel unconscious. Sirius walked to Harry's small bed. Sirius felt for Harry's pulse. He had one but it was faint, and it was about to go out. Sirius kneeled at Harry's side.

"I'm sorry, Harry. I promise that you will never see the Dursleys again. No one will ever hurt you again. You're gonna be okay, kid." Sirius promised he was barely able to keep from crying.

Sirius knew he had to act fast to save Harry. He covered Harry with a sheet to make sure Harry wasn't cold. Also because Harry's private parts might have been on display for everyone here, but never again would Harry be forced to show his private parts to anyone he didn't want to see them. Sirius would make sure of that. Sirius picked Harry up and gasped, Harry was under one hundred pounds and considering Harry's height that wasn't safe. He also noticed that Harry was burning up from a fever. At Sirius's slight touch to wrap Harry in the sheet Harry had whimpered and tried to move away. But now that Sirius was carrying Harry out the door Harry started groaning. Sirius leaned closer to Harry to see what he was saying.

"Don't…rape…me…Uncle…stop….stove…hurts…please…hungry." Harry groaned.

Sirius heart broke at every word Harry said. When they were in the living room Sirius heard footsteps.

"That damn boy woke me up again. Let's teach it a lesson," a fierce voice that sounded like Vernon said.

"I have my knife. This should be fun," a whiney voice that sounded like Dudley said.

"I hope the neighbors don't hear him screaming," a squeaky voice that sounded like Aunt Petunia said.

The Dursleys walked down the stairs to see Sirius glaring at them.

"Make him give it back Daddy. I want my toy." Dudley whined.

"Yes the boy is our property. Give him back now," Vernon said. He looked so cowardly that Sirius would have laughed if he wasn't so furious.

"He is not you're property or you're toy. He is a living breathing person, and should be treated with respect." Sirius yelled.

"Give it back before I call the police." Vernon said furiously.

Sirius pulled himself to his fullest height and laughed. He wanted to terrify the Dursleys the way they had terrified Harry. Dudley started crying loudly.

"Not very clever, are you, Vermin? Do you really want the police to see what you've done to Harry? How many years do muggles hold prisoners for repeatedly beating and rapeing children? " Sirius said madly.

"We never laid a hand on the bastard. He's such a klutz. He falls everywhere he goes. DON'T you dare blame this on us. As for raping him don't give the boy too much credit. He's disgusting. The thought of touching him makes me hurl. Let alone doing it with him." Vernon said.

"You've pushed it, Vernon." Sirius said. "Don't lie. I've seen everything you've done to him."

"How?" Vernon asked.

"I'm not telling." Sirius said.

"Fine!" Vernon felt ashamed wanting to know something about _that_ world. He was left with a childish retort. His pride was at stake he had to get back at Sirius.

Sirius started to carry Harry away.

"The boy's weak. He never even tried to fight me when I was abusing him. I guess he got that from his father. He enjoyed doing it with me and Dudley. He's a fag just like James was. And of course he's stupid as a post. He could've avoided most of his beatings if he wasn't retarted. How sad he inherited his mother's brain damage." Vernon said.

"Never insult James and Lilly in front of Harry! Their twice the people you'll ever be." Sirius yelled.

Harry whimpered at the loud voices. Sirius smiled at Harry. "It's okay, baby." Sirius said. Sirius laid Harry down gently on the couch and pulled out his wand. Sirius pointed his wand at the Dursleys. The Dursleys screamed and backed away from it.

"Please don't hurt us. Stop it." Vernon begged.

"Harry begged you for the same thing over and over again. You never listened to him, so I'm going to return the favor." Sirius said. "I would so like to hurt you right now but Harry needs me out of Azkaban more then he needs you hurt. I promise that I will be back to take care of you as soon as I get Harry some place safe. Dumbledor asked that you keep him safe and take care of him and you didn't. If it had been the other way around Lily and James would have taken Duddley in and loved him for the person that he is.

Sirius made it so the Dursley's were unable to leave the house until he or someone else returned to question them. He also made it so there would only be one meal served in the house another wizard showed up. Then Sirius picked Harry up and left. For the first time someone really needed and loved Sirius, Sirius couldn't fail the first person how needed him.

Sirius mounted himself and Harry on his broom and quickly flew off towards Hogwarts. He and Harry would be safe their. As Sirius left he wondered if Harry would ever be able to fly again. He also wondered if Harry would ever be able to do anything ever again or even want to.


	3. Chapter 3

**Warning: rated R for rape, violence, and voulgure language. Don't like, don't read.**

**I obviously don't own Harry Potter. If I did I would be rich, famous, and Sirius Black would never have been murdered**

Chapter 3

Dumbledor and Professor Snape were sitting in Dumbledor's office discussing the replacement for the DADA position when a silver mist in the shape of a dog appeared on Dumbledor's desk. Not having sent Sirius out on any missions Dumbledor was surprised to see his patronis and hoped there was nothing wrong at Head Quarters. Dumbledor listened to the mental message that the patronis was in trusted to send before he rose from his chair quickly, much too quickly for some one his age; but with grace gained from his advanced age.

"What does the mutt want?" Severus sneered before the older wizard was to the door, his dislike for Sirius apparent in his voice. He had not missed the retreating of the twinkle in the Head Masters eyes.

"Please, inform Poppy that I will be bringing her a patient when I return," Dumbledor muttered as he headed to the door. "It seems that Harry was injured and is at the gates with Sirius. I am not sure how badly yet; but a fear that it is fairly bad for Sirius to bring Harry here and not to Gramauld Place."

"The boy could find trouble stepping off a step," Severus responded but followed the older wizard down the revolving stairs none the less. "I will inform Poppy before I go to my rooms. I have some potions that are finished that I will bring to her in a little while."

"We will finish or discussion at a later time," Dumbledor threw over his shoulder as he headed towards the doors that lead to the gates of Hogwarts not paying attention to the ghosts wondering why the usually mild manored Head Master was running through the halls.

Dumbledor knew that Harry had to be in a bad way for Sirius to have gone and retrieved him from the safety of his relatives house without being told to by Dumbledor. The Marauders may have been trouble makers in school, refusing to follow most of the rules and finding a way around them at every turn; but as Order members they had never gone against anything that Dumbledor asked of them. They were loyal to a fault, all except Peter, the traitor to a friendship that had seemed so unbreakable for nine years. The four friends had been ruthless when asked to go on a mission and never backed down even when their lives had been in danger, in those times they always found a way out. contrary to popular believe they never went in without having a backup plan for their backup plan and were able to change them at a minutes notice. So why had Sirius thrown all that caution a way, exactly how bad was Harry? All these thoughts rushed through Dumbeldor's mind as he rushed down the gravel path to the gates.

The sight that meet the Head Master as he drew close enough to the gates to make out the figure that was just outside the gates made the Head Master stop in his tracks. Sirius message had said that Harry was hurt but it did not say how badly. What Dumbledor saw made his heart stop for a few seconds before speeding up as if to make up for the delay. Harry was pale against his godfather's chest, almost as white as the white night shirt Sirius wore under his blood red robe, and whimpering every once in a while calling out for someone to help him. He could see the blood that had pooled along Sirius chest that was running down to make a pool around them. Dumbledor had never seen someone in such bad shape before, Voldemort was even kinder then this. It appeared that Harry had been attacked by a wild animal and just barely escaped with his life, but that did not explain the other marks on the boy as Dumbeldor moved closer to the unmoving child and his godfather who stood just as unmoving, just outside the gates.

Fearing that too much time had been wasted all ready Dumbledor threw a spell at the magically chained gates that served to keep the students safe well they were in school and now kept the remaining staff safe during the summer months. With the rise of Lord Voldemort the previous term Dumbledor had insisted that the wards be made stronger and the gates would now only open for someone that worked at the school, anyone else had to be let in by either the Head Master, Hagrid or one of the Head of Houses. As the heavy chains snaked their way along the gates Dumbeldor chanced another glance at the boy in Sirius arms. He couldn't believe he had failed the boy as badly as he had. Harry had begged him not to send him back to the Dursley's after every year and every year the Head Master had sent him back there, thinking Harry was making it sound worse then it was when, if the sight before him was to be believed, Harry had been keeping the worse to himself.

Dumbledor wondered how much Harry had kept from him and how much Sirius knew and exactly how Sirius knew. He vowed to find out what he had missed, but first Harry needed to get to Madam Pomfrey, the rest could wait until later. As the chains dropped to the ground and the gates opened to allow Sirius entrance he walked towards the Head Master closer to his chest. No mater what no one was going to take Harry a way from him again, he was going to be the godfather that he was meant to be and give Harry the life he deserved and the love that went with it. Not even the Head Master was going to keep him from Harry anymore. The two adult wizards walked up to the castle in silence both deep in thought and unwilling or unable to voice them in front of the young wizard in Sirius arms.

Sirius walked into the majestic castle holding Harry close to his chest, not willing to let the fourteen year old wizard go; but knowing that shortly he would have to. He would have to put Harry down once the entered the sterile environment of the hospital wing. As he walked the last few feet to the matrons domain Sirius kept murmuring to Harry that everything would be all right and that he would never leave him. Sirius was unsure how he was going to keep the promises that he was making to Harry; but he was going to try with everything that he had. He knew there was a very real possibility of him landing back in Azkaban for what he had done. If anyone had seen him and reported it to the Ministry Sirius knew he would end up back in Azkaban; but Harry was worth the risk.

When Sirius a Dumbledor reached the hospital wing Sirius walked over to the fourth bed on the right and put Harry on it. Sirius remembered all the times that James had gone to the hospital wing and that this was his favourite bed and always ended up in it. Sirius was unsure why James had called it his bed; but Sirius hoped that it might give Harry some added comfort. As Sirius lowered Harry onto the bed the young wizard began to whimper as if in pain and started begging Sirius again not to rape him and not to hurt him. The words and the despair in the young teens voice broke the hearts of both older wizards, they had failed him.

Madam Pomfrey, who was waiting in her office for the patient that Severus had told her was coming rushed out of her office at the sound of Harry's pleas. Poppy gasped when she got a glance at Harry. "What happened to him?" She demanded waving her wand over the bruised and bloody body.

"I was having nightmares since break began," Sirius started not moving from Harry's side. "The last one was so bad that I went to his relatives house to check on him and I found him like this." Sirius reached over and ran a hand through Harry's hair and pulled the sheet up around Harry's naked body. "He didn't even have any clothes on and I didn't want to waste the time to get him dressed before I brought him here. I couldn't think of anywhere safer."

"The muggles did this to him," Pomfrey muttered as she studied the list that had appeared as she was running her wand over Harry's body. "How the boy survived the last two weeks I will never know. Multiply bite marks, multiple whip marks, bruising from a blunt object and four broken ribs. Not to mention that he is seriously dehydrated." Normally Sirius would have made a joking comment about the statement and the matron was hoping he would just to lighten the mood but he said nothing as the tears started to roll down his check at the list of injury's. " If I had my guess I would say that he hasn't eaten since break started. As bad as all that is it appears that he has also been raped multiple times. How I missed this before I do not know."

Dumbledor had listened to the list from the medi witch in silence with growing dread, he knew that Harry's relatives did not like wizards but he had thought Harry would be save there. That in the very least he would be taken care of, he had never in his wildest dreams would have dreamt that they would have done this to their own flesh and blood. He had failed both Harry and his parents for what the greater good. The greater good should never ask this much from a child. Harry could have stayed with any of the members of the Order, instead he had trusted that the believe that Lily's sister could look past the hate and take care of the child he placed in her hands, Minnerva was sure to have his head for this, she had pleaded with him not to leave Harry there. There were so many families that would have gladly welcomed him into their families and treated the boy as their own.

"Do what you can for him," Dumbledor said as he turned to leave the hospital wing. "I will be in my office taking care of some things if you should need me for anything, do not hesitate to call. I will have Severus make some nutrient potions for you. He should be up shortly as he said he had several potions already made for you that he had to bring to you. Sirius, please come with me. There are things that we need to discuss, Harry is in very good hands."

"I am sorry , Sir, but I will not leave Harry," Sirius replied tears still running down his face. "I failed him once and I will not do it again. I can't leave him now. I failed James and Lily by convincing them to make Wormtail their secret keeper and keeping it a secret. If I hadn't then they would still be here and Harry would be happy with them instead of like this."

"This is not the time," Dumbledor answered with a twinkle. "If I know you we will have to get a hold of Remus and see what we can do as I am sure that you did not leave them unpunished. I do however need to know what you did to the Dursley's so that we can undo it before the ministry gets involved as they are sure to do."

"Nothing that can't be reversed by a wizard," Sirius stated looking at his godson still unwilling to move from Harry's side. "A lot less then what they deserve for what they did."

"Sirius, Poppy needs room so she can help Harry," Dumbledor again tried to get Sirius to leave Harry's side. "I am sure that she will let you know when she is done. We should talk about this in my office and let Harry get some rest. There is nothing that we can do for him now."

With a resigned sigh Sirius turned from his godson and started to follow the Head Master out of the sterile hospital wing, however before they made it to the door they were stopped by a pain filled scream from the bed. Both wizards turned back to the bed to find Harry in spasms of pain and tears running down his face as if he was in the throws of the Cruciatous curse. Dumbledor was at a loss as to how Harry could be experiencing the curse since no one there was using it on him. The only thing that could be causing it would be the link that Harry had to Voldemort through his scare, but if that were true then they had a lot to talk about. But that would have to wait for another day as he was sure Sirius would not like the solution to the problem nor would Severus as it involved him also.

"Come on, Sirius, we need to floo Remus," Dumbledor instructed turning back to face the younger man. "The sooner we figure out how to mask your signature and reverse what you did the sooner we can look into getting justice for Harry."

The two wizards walked into the the corridor and hurried to the gargoyle that guarded the entrance to the Head Masters office in silence. They ignored the cheerful greetings the portraits called to them as they rushed down the corridor. At the gargoyle Dumbledor whispered, "Dumdum." At Sirius raised eyebrow Dumbledor explained about the muggle sucker that he had discovered on his latest trip into muggle London as they started to ride the winding staircase to his office.

As they rode the moving staircase up to Dumbledor's office they both prepared themselves for what they had to do now. The ministry would undoubtedly want to go and investigate the matter for themselves and would find Sirius signature in the house. There had to be some way that they could cover it up, but how. Neither of them wanted the ministry to get their hands on Sirius at this junctor, the damage it would do to Harry would be to great. He did not need the guilt, that he would undoubtedly feel if Sirius were to be captured added to what he was dealing with now.

"I think we should talk to Remus right away," Dumbledor muttered walking onto his office. He remembered that the Marauders had been masters at covering their own handy work in school and hoped that Remus would be able to cover up Sirius signature. Perhaps their trouble talents could be put to work once again. It had served the Order good during the first war and now it would have to be called upon once again. In truth that was part of the reason he let the Weasley twins get a way with as much as he did. Plus the fact that they reminded him so much of the Marauders who had shared a friendship so deep that they were like family. Like family the bond had been broken by the decision of one of them.

As Dumbledor was about to floo Remus, his fire began to glow green and a very agitated were wolf stepped out. "We have a problem, Albus," Remus exclaimed as soon as he had stepped into the office, he hadn't noticed Sirius yet. "I was just at Head Quarters and..."

"I wasn't there," Sirius broke in to his friends frantic speech. "Something came up and I had to leave in a hurry."

"What could be so important that you would risk going back to Azkaban for?" Remus wondered glaring at his last remaining true friend. Sirius was always one to run off without thinking things through, Remus had hoped that the years in Azkaban would have changed him but it seemed that they hadn't. In fact if it hadn't been for him and James Remus was sure that Sirius would have been dead long ago. But Sirius was loyal to those that he considered family and would do anything for them.

Sirius looked at his friends angry face and felt true fear, he had upset the were wolf once before and it was James that had intervened to keep Remus from doing any serious damage, this time he was all a lone. "Harry," Sirius muttered backing a way from Remus hoping that the name would be enough to calm the wolf.

The wolf heard the name of it's cub from the other remaining adult pack member and begged to be let out. The cub had been in trouble and he was not there to protect him. Another adult pack member had to go and rescue the cub, it was after all the alpha's job to protect the rest of the pack and he was the alpha, always had been. What had happened to his cub that had forced Padfoot to act so recklessly.

"What happened?" Remus wondered relaxing slightly and sitting in a chair. He needed information and time to control the wolf that wanted out to protect the cub. Sirius explained to Remus what had lead up to him going to the Dursley's and how he had found Harry before he brought him to the castle. Well he told Remus almost everything, he did not tell Remus exactly how bad Harry was or that they had almost lost him or that they still might. As worried as Sirius was about Harry he did not want to tell his best friend that they might still lose Harry before he had done the job that Dumbledor had set out for him. By the time that Sirius had finished his tale the wolf in Remus began howling for retribution, no one hurt the cub and got a way unhurt. "There is something you are not telling me," Remus uttered when the story was finished.

"Actually, Remus we need you to go to the Dursley's and cover up Sirius tracks," Dumbledor explained. "The ministry will want to investigate when they are told and we can not have them finding out that Sirius was there. I know that the four of you were able to hide your signatures in school. I need you to hide Sirius' now, for Harry if for no other reason. Think what it would do to Harry if Sirius were to be caught before we can prove his innocents. You are right to think there is more to this story then what you are being told. However, we can not tell you more until you come back from your mission."

"I can't go a lone," Remus murmured. "The wolf will want revenge for what they did to it's cub and I fear that I will be unable to control it. It would not be safe for me to go."

Dumbledor considered the problem for a minute before going to the floo and called for McGonigall, he felt that she would be the best for this job even if it meant that he would be in terrible trouble once they got back. Then again he reasoned that she would find out sooner or later and it would be best if she found out from him instead of someone else. After reconsidering he also called Arthur Weasley to see if he could go with to help control the were wolf if he got out of control. After all two fully trained Wizards were better then one. Dumbledor's luck seemed to be on his side that day as Charlie was home and offered to go in his dad's stead to help, after all a were wolf couldn't be any worse then a dragon especially when it wasn't transformed Charlie reasoned and as he was a fully qualified Dragon trainer he was the best one for the job.

With the calls made Remus turned to Sirius with a raised eyebrow, if he knew his friend Sirius would not have left the mugles with no punishment, he just hoped it wasn't something that could not be reversed nor was it deadly. "What did you do to them?" Remus asked, he had to know to reverse the spell.

"Just made it so they couldn't leave their house and that they could only eat once a day until a wizard came to their rescue," Sirius replied without any regret. "I also apperated into the alley a block away." Remus drew his hand over his face, this was going to take some doing. James had always been the one to cover their tracks, even though he had taught them how to do it.

Charlie and Minerva arrived shortly after Sirius had finished his explanation of the spells used and were very surprised to find the animagus in the Head Masters office. "Black, I would have thought you would still be at Head Quarters not running around trying to get yourself caught," McGonnegall scolded. Sirius had always been one of her favourite students and she did not want him to get caught again. "I always expected better of you then to do something this foolish. For his part Sirius hung his head at the scolding. He had always looked up to the witch and always hated to be scolded by her like even if he did deserve it. However this time he had had no choice. No one else was going to save Harry, he had to go for him.

Dumbledor had not explained where or why they were going on this mission, just that the wolf in Remus might get out of control. "I didn't want to go into a lot of detail until you got here," Dumbledor began steepling his hands in front of him. "This should be an easy mission as all you have to do is cover up Sirius magical signature. Remus knows how to do that, he is just worried he will be unable to control the wolf."

"Where exactly are we going?" Charlie wondered, it had to be bad if the normally calm were wolf was in danger of losing his temper.

"To Harry's relatives," Dumbeldore replied watching the varying emotions crossing the faces of the two new arrivals. "Harry will not be there as he is in the hospital wing as we speak. He is recovering from the ordeal. Please, wait until you get back to chastise me, Minnie. Nothing you can say will make me feel any worse then I do right now. However, I will not take the opportunity a way from you."

Just then a small creature with bat ears and large tennis ball green eyes appeared with a pop. "Tibby be sorry," the house elf muttered rubbing it's hands together nervously. "But Madam Pomfrey told Tibby to get Master Black right a way." At the matron's name Sirius face lost all color and he was on his feet faster then the eye could see.

"What is going on?" Charlie asked as Sirius bolted out the door and down the staircase. "If I didn't know better I would say that someone had lighted a match under Sirius. Something has to be really wrong with Harry for Sirius to act like that."

Taking his cue from Sirius the Head Master gave just enough information for them to complete the task and return safely, he would let Sirius and Harry decide how much the others were told. This after all was Harry's story to tell.

After Dumbledor finished his tale the trio exited his office via the floo network and arrived at Mrs. Figg's house.

Please review. The opinions of my readers are important to me and I do take all that you say into consideration. I would like to say that well this is a Harry/ Sirius story they will not be paired together.


	4. Chapter 4

**Warning: rated M for rape, violence, and voulgure language. Don't like, don't read.**

**I obviously don't own Harry Potter. If I did I would be rich, famous, and Sirius Black would never have been murdered.**

Chapter 4

Severus Snape stalked into the hospital wing black robes flaring around his ankles carrying a crate of potion supplies that he had brewed for Madam Pomfrey only to stop at the door when he glanced over at the fourth bed on the right. When Albus told him that Harry Potter was to be coming to the hospital wing he had no idea what t expect, certainly not what was on the bed. He had figured the boy had got ten into a fight with one of those muggles and the boy's godfather had over reacted, as the mutt was prone to doing, and brought him here to take up the medi witches valuable time. However, what he found lying on the bed was the results of more then a muggle school yard fight, the boy looked to have been severally beaten.

Potter was laying on the bed fighting the medi witch who was trying to get him to drink some of the green potion and from the looks of it Pomfrey was losing the battle. When Poppy heard the whisper of the wards doors opening she looked up from her task to see the formidable Potions Master standing in the doorway with a glazed look in his eye. "Severus, could you come and assist me," she asked trying to get the Potions Master out of his shock. "He seems to be refusing to take the pain potion and I need him to take it before I can fix the broken bones."

That seemed to be enough to snap the spy into action as he moved over to the side of the bed and deposited the crate onto the bed next to the one Harry waas in. The older wizard pulled the boy into a sitting position and readjusted the pillows behind his head. After positioning the pillows Severus held the boys hands down to his side while Pomfrey again brought the potion vial to the boys lips. When Harry moved his head a way from the vial the Professor scolded, "That will be enough nonsense, Potter. You will drink the potion willingly or I will personally force it down your throat." For some reason that escaped the Slytherin the Gryffindor obeyed and deadly accepted the offered potion.

With a sigh of relief the medi witch put the empty vial down well straitening into a standing position and pointing her wand at the teen as a white light shot out and surrounded Harry healing his broken ribs. "Thank you, Severus," the medi witch murmured as the light died down. "I have a feeling they were forcing things down him that would make him sick. Muggles do have their own way of making nasty 'potions' as they like to call them. Often times they are designed to make the drunker very ill, which is what I believe happened to Mr. Potter."

"What happened to him?" The Potion Master asked in concern. The boys family treated him like a celebraty Snape was sure and got the boy whatever it was he wanted. That was the way the world was suppose to be, they did not beat the Boy-Who-Lived, as appeared to be the case, Dumbeldor would never have allowed such treatment of the boy. Could Dumbledor been as blind as the rest of them to the abuse, up until now Potter seemed to be fine, a little on the short side but happy atleast. Now that Severus thought about it was strange that HArry was so small judging from hieght of his parents, could it be a recessive gene that made him so small or was it the abuse.

"Sirius brought him here earlier saying that his relatives had beaten and abused Harry," the midi witch explained. "From the looks of things he wasn't to far off. The boy is suffering from sever malnutrition and had four broken ribs which I have just fixed along with several cuts and bruises. Harry was also covered in burns over most of his body, I have put a burn cream on the burns."

As Madam Pomfrey finished her explanation Sirius entered the hospital wing being careful not to slam the door. He did not want to startle his godson, however when he noticed who was in the room all thoughts of being quiet left his mind and he stalked over to the Slytherin pulling his wand out as he went. "Get a way from Harry," Sirius snapped as he approached with has wand pointed threatening at the other wizards chest. "He has been hurt enough already and I will not let you hurt him any more."

"Now, Sirius, calm down right now before I am forced to give you a calming draught," Pomfrey admonished. "Severus was just helping me with Harry. There is no need to start a fight. If you can not control yourself I will have you removed." The fierce look on the witches face did not go missed by ether of the wizards and Sirius lowered his wand with a scowl. Both knew that the matron would indeed have Sirius removed if they did not listen to her instructions no matter how close he was to his godson.

"How is he?" Sirius asked sitting on the bed next to Harry and taking the boy's hand.

"Better," Pomfrey stated with a look of pity in her eyes. "I do not know if he will ever be the same mentally but physically he is better. Severus, could you give me a dreamless sleep from the crate I seem to be all out in my stores." When the Potion Master handed over the potion the medi witch gave it to the boy, who again tried to fight but was quickly settled by his godfather's comforting voice.

Seeing that there was nothing more that she or the Potion Master could do the medi witch went over to her stock firm in her believe that the professor would follow her lead and bring the crate of potions. As the two restocked the potion supply Severus kept sneaking glances over to the boy in the bed. He too had failed the boy, he should have noticed the signs of abuse before any of them. Was he too blinded by the name to see the person that the boy was. He had taught the boy for four years and had missed all the signs, signs that he himself had had while he was in school. Yet he had missed them because he was to busy believing that the boy was just like his father and that his relatives had spoiled the boy and given him everything that he wanted.

In Surry two wizards and a witch appeared out of a fireplace on Westeria with a glow of green flame, the female quickly turned into a taby cat with black circles around it's eyes while the two men transfigured their robes into jeans and short sleeve shirts. The three were on a mission, one that they wanted to get over with and quickly so they could get back to the castle and the teenager that was in the hospital wing. None of them wanted to alert the muggles of their presents any more then they had to.

The trio left the musty living room of Arabella Figg in exchange door the hallway and headed for the back door. At the back door the wizards and cat silently walked out and into the cool night air where they split up each of the males taking opposites sides of the house to the sidewalk. All this was done with caution as they all knew that too much attention would be brought to the house if someone were to notice two men leaving the house at this time of night yet no one had entered. Plus the fact that Arabella did not seem to ne home at the moment.

Slowly the man with sandy brown hair which was slightly greying crept around the house careful to stay in the shadows while his red haired companion did the same on the other side of the house. As Remus continued his trek up the side of the house he was reminded of all the times that he and the rest of the Marauders had done this same thing in school, all in the name of a prank. However, tonight was different, tonight they were not pulling a prank. Tonight they were on a mission, one that if not done successfully could cost Padfoot his freedom if not his life.

As the quarter moon crept over the horizon and the street lamps came to life a red haired man in his mid twenties walked around the side of a light blue two story house and waited to meet up with the graying brown haired man the tabby cat was already on the side walk waiting for them. "You ready, Remus?" The red haired man asked when he saw his companion. "Try to remain calm. The quicker we get this done the sooner we can get back and see him."

The were wolf simple nodded his head with a slight smile, he was about to relive part of his glory days, covering up for his friend. It was hard to imagine almost twenty years ago that the lessons he had learned with his friends in the name of fun would be called upon to possible save one of them.

The two wizards silently walked down the sidewalk until the older man stopped be an alley, one that held the scent of fresh dew, he had memorised the sent years ago to the point that he would recognise it anywhere. This was where Sirius had apperated into, his magical signature could still be felt and recognised. Silently the brown haired man pulled out a slender stick and waved it in the air in a flowing circular motion as a small golden dome appeared through the alley changing the magical signature into something else while mixing it with others.

"We should head to Number Four before we are noticed," the red haired man said as he watched the dome disapate. The two men continued on their way following the tabby in silence, there was still much to do. As they drew closer to there destination the two men felt the growing tension. Remus was again fighting to control the wolf within himself, it was out for blood. Even twenty yards a way it could feel the lingering fear of it's cub that was no longer there. Feeling the older of the two men's tension the tabby jumped on the man's leg waiting to be picked up. Remus obediently bent down and picked the tabby up and started petting his hand through it's fir. He couldn't remember the number of times that Sirius had done this in the form of Padfoot, it had always calmed him down enough to think clearly, and here the stern Trnsfiguration teacher was doing the same thing.

"I never would have thaught that I would see Profesor McGonnigal comfort a student not even a former one in such a way," the younger man commented quietly.

"If you say anything about this to anyone she will make sure you regret it," Remus muttered just as quietly petting the cat and calming. "She prides herself on her domineering persona at school, she was right scary when I was in school. Especially when we would get caught pulling a prank or sneaking around the school after curfew."

As the two men were talking they had come to the door of Number Four and Remus rang the doorbell that was on the right side of the brown door. The door was opened by a horse faced women with brown hair pulled back stiffly into a bun. "What do you want?" the woman asked timidly not really looking at the men.

"We were wondering if we could talk to you," the red haired man stated with a slight grin. "We have come regarding Harry."

"He is not here and we don't want him or any of his kind in the house again," the woman stated inflexibly. "Now if you would kindly leave it would be greatly appreciated. My Dudley is hungry and that ungrateful boy didn't even see fit to make us a snack for tea time before he left."

"Harry was in no position to be cooking when he left," Remus ground out lossing his battle with the wolf, the longer this took the harder the fight would be. "Unless you want to die a most painful death I would suggest that you let us in, Petunia."

The woman whipped her head around finally taking in the other man and her faced lost all color, "You're the wolf. Lily told us about you when she was home on holiday. She told us how dangerous you were and how you could not be trusted."

"I am sure she did," Remus nodded. Knowing Lily as he did, he was sure that Lily had not described him in such a way, but he did not want to correct her at the moment. Having her think he was dangerous could very well work in their favour at the moment. They could use that fear to gain entrance into the house, and to complete what they came to do although leaving the curses Sirius had put on them was very tempting at the moment. "Unless you want to see how dangerous I can be I would suggest you let us in Besides what would the neighbors think if they saw two strange men standing on your stoop at this time of night. I can a sure you that we will not leave until we have talked to you and retrieved Harry's things."

"A... al... all right," Petunia stammered opening the door wider and stepping aside allowing the men access to the house. "However, the cat can not come in."

"I assure you, Mrs. Dursley, that it would be better to let the cat in so she can take her human form rather then have her transform out where everyone can see," Charlie stated as he walked into the house. Ron had said that Harry's relatives disliked anything that was not 'normal' and he used this knowledge to get the professor into the house. Charlie looked around the house he had heard about from his younger brothers, not sure exactly what he was hoping to find.

The house was much too clean, almost as if no one lived there, everything was in it's place and there was no dust anywhere. The off white walls were littered with pictures of a boy that was as wide as he was tall in different stages of life. In some of the pictures the boy was joined by the woman and a man that had several chins and beady eyes. The living room where the two males from the pictures sat on a couch was the same as the hall. There was no sign that Harry had lived in this house for twelve years. Pictures of the younger Gryffindor were missing, the only evidence of his existence was the clean surface.

After Charlie had shut the door Remus set the tabby cat down and it quickly turned into Professor McGonnigal the formidable Transfiguration professor. "Mr. Weasley, if you tell anyone about what you saw I will personally turn you into a butterfly." Charlie visibly blanched at the thought of being turned into a harmless butterfly, McGonnigal could have at least threatened to turn him into a three headed dog or something dangerous; but no it would have to be a butterfly, harmless little creature that it was.

"What are you freaks doing here?" Vernon asked his face extremely red. There had already been one of them in his house and now there were three others. "Get out of my house before I call the police," he continued oblivious to the danger he and his family was in if he kept talking. He was pushing an already angered were wolf to the brink and Remus' control on the wolf was threatening to snap. The longer they were here the less control he would have and the stronger the wolf would get.

"Vernon, please stop," Petunia begged from the hallway. "Let them do what they have come to do so they can leave before anyone sees them here."

"I would listen to here you big pig," Remus growled, the wolf getting the better of him, as he advanced on the pig of a man.

"Remus, you have to calm down," Charlie interrupted reaching for Remus shoulder and placing a comforting hand there. "Before you do something that you will regret later. Even without the full moon if you do something that truly hurts them the Ministry will throw you in Azkaban, then what would Harry do. Think how Harry would feel if both you and Sirius were on the run from the Ministry."

At the name of the cub the wolf retreated and let the host take over again although it stayed close to the surface, these were the people that had hurt his cub and they deserved no mercy. However the cub needed the pack, the pack could protect the cub like it always should have. "We came for Harry's things," Remus relented. "And you will give them to us or the next time I will not be calmed as easily."

"You're the wolf that Petunia's freak sister was always talking about," Vernon stammered out pushing Dudley behind him which was a challenge given the boys girth. "Why should we give you his things? We paid for them and put a roof over his head as well as food and clothes on his back."

"You never gave him anything but what your whale of a son out grew," Charlie retaliated still keeping a calming hand on Remus shoulder. "Ron saw what he had for school, the clothes that were five sizes to big for him to wear. It was thanks to his dorm mates that he had decent clothes to wear during the school year. The only decent clothes he had in his trunk were his school uniform and robes which he bought with the small amount of money that Lily and James had left for him." Charlie knew that there was more money in the vault then he would ever hope to see at once but he did not want to tell the Dursley's this. "Every time he came to our house mum would have to feed him almost non-stop to get him to a healthy weight. Everyone did it because he is a human not some animal or house elf like you treated him. Now, if you do not mind, please, comply with Remus request before I am unable to hold him back any longer. I must let you now that I am a dragon handler and as such handle dangerous animals everyday, but an angry uncontrollable were wolf is something not even I would want to face. Which is the point to which you are pushing Remus right now."

"His trunk is in the basement," Petunia whimpered fearfully. She remembered Lily once writing to her about how Remus had gotten angry and how hard it was to get him calmed down and the one on the receiving end that time had been a friend of the were wolf. Even though it still took Potter to settle him down enough to get the other out of the room before the wolf could cause serious damage. She did not want to be on the receiving end of an angered were wolf, even with a dragon handler in the room.

"I'll go get his trunk," McGonnigall murmured stepping around the corner and into the kitchen. "I trust you have everything under control here, Charlie."

"As long as they do not do anything to anger Remus again," Charlie responded trying to remember something important that Ron had mentioned from Harry's letters. The floorboard under his bed, Charlie remembered Ron mentioning that Harry kept important things hidden there during the summer. "Remus, lets go get the rest of Harry's things. He kept some of his stuff hidden under his bed under a loose floor board. I bet that is where his album is, I am sure that he will want that as well as the invisibility cloak from his dad."

Charlie felt Remus relax even more as they made there way up the stairs, however, the wolf wanted back out as they neared the door to the smallest bedroom, the smell of blood was still thick in the air as well as the smell of stale sex. Remus fought hard to control the wolf as it howled and begged to get out. Remus lost all control as they opened the door to Harry's old room and he say all the blood on the floor and on the bed. He was going to turn around to punish the Dursley's, Charlie however was faster and with reflexes honed both as a seeker and dragon handler was able to stun Remus before he got to the stairs. The Dursley's would pay for what they had done to Harry; but Remus would not be the one to do it, at least not today. Silently Charlie went and pulled up the loose floor board and retrieved the things that were in there. Harry had obviously tried to do some of his summer homework as there was a charms book in the hole as well as his invisibility cloak and photo album. When Charlie was done he floated Remus to the top of the stairs and down them.

He placed the stunned were wolf down at the bottom of the stairs and inervertaed him as he walked into the living room where the Transfiguration Profesor was waiting for them. "We should get going," Charlie explained. "I have already had to stun Remus upstairs and I fear that we will not be as lucky next time. Can you reverse the spells that Sirius put on them?"

"I don't have to, they were taken off as soon as we entered," the witch answered. "All that is left is for Remus to cover up Sirius magical signature and then we can leave. After we have obliviated the memory of Sirius from thier minds, that is. Can you get Remus to concentrate long enough to cast the needed charm?"

"He should be fine to do it," Charlie stated glancing at Remus. "He views Sirius as part of his pack and will do anything to protect his pack member." With one last side long glance at the Dursley's Remus repeated the charm he had done in the alley and they all apperated a way to Hogsmead where they would take the floo to the Head Master's office.

After the Potion Master and the medi witch left Sirius resumed his seat by Harry absentmindedly carding his hand through Harry's hair. He hoped Remus would be al right at the Dursley's. Now that Sirius had time to think about it he had to admit that he had acted rashly, but he was still at a lose as to how else he could have handled the situation. He could not leave his godson at the mercy of those muggles, he honestly had feared for Harry's life. If Sirius was honest with himself he realised that he had more then likely over stepped his place in the pack by going for Harry without informing Remus but there had been no time, Harry's prone body on the bed was prove of that.

Please review. I would like to thank all those that have this story on alert. Your support in writing this is greatly appreciated.


	5. Chapter 5

**Warning: rated M for rape, violence, and voulgure language. Don't like, don't read.**

**I obviously don't own Harry Potter. If I did I would be rich, famous, and Sirius Black would never have been murdered.**

a/n: Before I get on with the story I would like to thank all of my readers and reviewers for reading and reading. You guys make it worth writing.

Chapter 5

Harry's mind slowly woke the next morning as he took in the fact that he was in a lot less pain then the night before and that he was in a much softer bed then he had been for the last two weeks. Still he was afraid to open his eyes unless this was all a dream and the minute he opened them the pain would come back and the blissfully soft bed would disappear. He also took in the fact that there was something heavy resting on his legs as if somebody had once again decided that they wanted to be there and have their fun with him when he woke up, but why they weren't laying completely on him was a loss to him, that was what he normally woke up to when there was weight on him. With a resigned sigh Harry opened his eyes afraid of what he would find. Afraid that last night had actually been a dream and Sirius had not come to rescue him from his uncle and cousin.

As Harry slowly opened his eyes he took in his surroundings, he was in the hospital wing at Hogwarts, so last night had happened; but that still did not explain the weight on his legs. Slowly ever so slowly Harry lowered his eyes to were the weight was, what he saw made him gasp in surprise. Laying in the bed at the foot was Sirius in his animagus form of a large black dog using Harry's legs as a pillow the rest of his body was curled into itself.

Remus, who had also spent the night in the infirmary woke at Harry's gasp and immediatly began to worry, was Harry in a lot of pain or was there another reason for the gasp. Slowly Remus straightened in the chair that he had been sleeping in and wiped the drool that was running down his chin and smiled weakly at Harry, "How are you feeling, Cub?" The were wolf asked in concern as he studied Harry's face and took in the scared and startled look.

"OK," Harry responded nervously trying to shrink a way from the were wolf and his godfather without disturbing the sleeping dog. "What am I doing here?"

"Sirius found you last night and brought you here," Remus responded. "Don't you remember? I'm sorry for what happened to you."

Harry couldn't help but feel embarrassed, they knew. He had hoped that at least the part about Sirius coming and getting him had been a dream and that he had gotten here a different way; but now he realised that it wasn't. They knew how worthless he was, they knew how weak he was and that he couldn't even save himself from his relatives. There was no way they would trust him enough to save them from Voldemort. To make matters worse Remus felt sorry for him, because he was so weak and pathetic. That had to be what they all were thinking he was sure of it.

Remus saw the conflicting emotions in Harry's eyes, the self loathing, the guilt and the disgust. Harry may look like his father, James, but he was so much like his mother, Lily, in the way his emotions reflected in his eyes and many other ways. Then it dawned on Remus that he had said the wrong thing, Harry did not want his pity anymore then Remus himself had wanted the Marauders' pity when he was in school. Harry had just been through a horrific experience and he needed support not pity and here he, Remus Lupin the known were wolf that had never wanted pity was guilty of doing the same thing he had disliked from his friends. "I was out of line, Harry," Remus muttered quietly. "I should not have said what I did. If you ever want to talk to me just let me know."

"Thank you," Harry squeaked out still trying to get his legs out from under his godfather without waking him up. Ever since Harry had known Sirius he had never hurt him; but Harry did not want to find out what his godfather would do to him should he become angry with him. All Harry was sure of was that whatever Sirius would do to him would be worse then anything his uncle had done. Sirius did after all have the use of magic and some of the things one could do with magic were a lot more painful then anything his uncle had done to him. Harry had found that out two months ago in the grave yard when Voldemart was reunited with a body.

Remus noticed that Harry was trying to wiggle out from under Sirius and had to wonder why Harry didn't just push Sirius off of him if it was making Harry uncomfortable. With a laugh Remus decided to help Harry and reached over to Sirius and shook the black dog a wake with a smile. "Hey, Sirius, get up you lazy bum," Remus exclaimed. "The sun is up and so is Harry."

Within seconds Sirius was awake and had transformed back into his human self. The slight flinch from Harry when his godfather was woken up however did not go unnoticed by either of the adult wizards nor did the paling of the boys face. "I'm sorry," Harry whispered. "I didn't mean to wake you. Please don't hurt me." Harry had drawn himself into a ball and was trembling all over with tears brimming in his eyes. "I'll never do it again."

Both adults looked to Harry with pained expressions on their faces as Harry pleaded with them not to hurt him. They both knew that the damage done by those muggles was bad; but they never would have guessed that it was this bad. They had thought that Harry trusted them and knew that they would never hurt him. Yet here he was pleading with them not to do anything to him and he wasn't even the one that had woken Sirius up. "Harry, we would never hurt you," Sirius exclaimed sitting next to the teenager and trying to draw him into a hug. However this seemed to upset Harry more as he began to shake uncontrolable and try to draw into a tighter ball.

"I think I will go get us some breakfast," Remus murmured hoping that Harry would recover quicker with fewer people in the room. "Is there anything special you would like, Harry?" When Harry shook his head in the negative Remus walked out of the infirmary shaking his head. The boy on the hospital bed was not the same boy he had meet on the train a little under two years ago. That boy had been so confident, so friendly, so much like James. Now he acted almost the exact opposite to that boy, almost like Sirius had acted on the train their first year.

As Remus walked down the hall being careful to avoid the weak stairs that would suck you down if you stepped on them and the moving staircases he contemplated what they could do. James was the one that had always been the one able to bring others around with his easy going attitude. It had been James that had first befriended Sirius and brought him out if his shell, slowly becoming friends with Remus a long the way. Remus had watched James work from a far and had envied the ease in which James had worked. James worked with such confidence and so smoothly that unless you knew what he was doing you would have never noticed it. Remus wondered if he and Sirius would be able to work the same type of magic as James had and bring Harry back to them.

Remus was so caught up in his musings that he did not notice the Potion Master approaching from the opposite direction nor did he notice Peeves, the castle Poltregiest getting ready to throw a water balloon at him. However as Peeves was about to realise the projectile Severus took out his wand and leaveled it on the poltregiest with a sneer. "I wouldn't if I were you, you little pest," Severus sneered. "If you do I will not hesitate to report it to the Head Master when I next see him."

Remus head shoot around at the spy's words and gave him a half hearted smile, "Thank you, Severus."

"How is Potter?" The Slytherin wondered idly still glaring at the poltrigiest. "You looked a little preoccupied for a minute."

"About the same as last night," Remus replied with a half-hearted smile. "He is a wake; but he acted strange when I woke Sirius up. I was just going to get us some breakfast if you would like to join us."

"That would probable not be for the best in this situation," the ex-Death Eater muttered. "However you could save me a trip and bring this Nutrition Potion to him when you return," Severus continued handing the were wolf a pale green potion vial. "Poppy asked that I brew him an extra strong one. I believe that some toast and porridge would be the best thing for the boy to start with. However, make sure that he drinks all of that even if he does not eat all of the food you bring. I will tell Albus that he is up as he will undoubtable want to talk to him." With that the Slytherin swept past Remus and towards the Head Masters office.

The Potion Master was glad he had seen the were wolf in the hall as he did not particularly wish to see the mutt after last night. True Black was only worried about his godson but a repeat of last night was not going to do the boy any good. The less confrontation in front of the boy the better. Snape was actually surprised that the mutt didn't know this, after what he himself had experienced. When they had gone to school Severus had actually envied Black's friendship with Potter. He had wished that it was he who Potter had befriended instead of Black, he would have even settled with sharing Potter's attention. However that did not happen, instead the Marauders had pranked him at every turn and Snape had grown to dislike them as much as his father because of their friendship.

As Severus continued on his way to the Head Master's office he also wondered how he could help the boy. If he was honest with himself he had to admit that he was the one with the most experience when it came to dealing with abuse out of all the teachers. Not because his Slytherins' were the ones that got abused the most at home, in fact their was a lot less abuse in all wizarding families then in mixed or muggle families. The wizarding world took the abuse of a child very seriously and if a person were to be caught they were sent to Azkaban for a very long time and the children were all removed from the house.

How Blacks family got a way with it for all those years Severus didn't know nor did he particularly care. They more then likely got a way with it the same way Lucious escaped prison all those years ago. If you had enough money, just as in the muggle world, you could buy yourself out of almost anything.

At the gargoyl Severus gave the password the Haed Master had set the week before, during the summer break Dumbledore rarely changed his password unless there was a new muggle treat he had found. Severus rode the winding staircase up to the Head Masters office and knocked on the heavy door waiting to be admitted. The Professor wondered how it was that Albus had not known about the abuse when he seemed to know about everything else. Then there were the wards that the Head Master had set up they were suppose to protect the boy and they seemed to have failed.

"Enter," Dumbledore stated as Severus knocked on the door. "It is so nice to see you, Severus. What do I owe the pleasure to?" It seemed the twinkle was back in the old wizard's eyes again.

"I meet Lupin in the hall way going to the infirmary and he informed me that Potter is a wake; but upset," Professor Snape scowled. "It seems the wolf and mutt scared him when he woke up. I told Lupin I would inform you as he was on his way to the kitchens for some breakfast for the three of them."

"Thank you, Severus," Dumbledore said in a kind voice. "Is there something else you wanted to know?" The elderly wizard knew there was more then what the Slytherin was saying and he was sure it concerned Harry in some way.

"How did this happen, sir?" Severus asked giving voice the question that had been bothering him. "I thought the wards would protect him from harm. If I am not mistaken you were the one that set them up and no one has ever been abe to get pass your wards. What happened this time that a muggle could break your wards."

"They were only meant to notify me of a magical threat," Dumbeldore answered. He had known he would have to answer these questions, however he thought he would be answering to Remus, Sirius or Minerva not Severus. To everyone it seemed that he despised the boy yet he was the one asking the question that the Head Master would be answering quite a few times in the next few days. "I had thought that his relatives would take care of him, so I never put wards to warren of any physical abuse."

"Your believe in second chances got the better of you then," the Professor stated, it was more a statement then a question. "I am graetful for your believe in second chances. No one more then I understand the need for second chances; but to put a child in such a place - not even I would do that."

"I have failed the boy again," Albus agreed readily. "And for that I am truly sorry."

"I, Head Master, am not the one that you owe the apology to," Severus declared with a sigh. "I must go. I have potions that I have to get done. Good day to you, Head Master."

Sirius watched Remus walk out of the hospital wing and wondered what was going to happen now, he was not James, who always new what to say to cheer you up. Sirius knew that it would be a long time before Harry would totally trust them again, even though they were not the ones to abuse him, they should have protected him. Sirius needed a plan and to have patience, the two things that he almost never had. At least he had Remus to help him with both, they were after all Remus strong points.

Sirius peered at his godson who was curled up on the bed still trembling in fear and mumbling things under his breath. "Harry, Moony and I would never hurt you," Sirius tried to console the boy. "You have to believe me. We love you and want to protect you, if you will let us."

Harry looked at his godfather through eyes that were swimming in unshed tears, "You promise. Even if I make you angry, or drop the plates?"

"I promise. No matter what you do we will never ever hurt you. Your safe here and with us. We want you to be happy and will do anything to make you happy."

"But I am weak. I couldn't even protect myself from my relatives. Why would you want me?" Harry had not moved out of his protective curl but he was at least talking to Sirius.

"Your uncle is a lot bigger then you are and you were helpless in that house." Sirius was reminded of a talk he had had at the Potters' when he was about the same age as Harry. James and his parents had once said the same things to him and kept repeating them to him until he believed them. Maybe that was what he and Remus had to do; but Sirius had never been hurt the way that Harry was.

As bad as his parents were they had never done the things that Harry's relatives had done. They had never even touched him for fear of the Ministry. They mostly ignored Sirius or told him how worthless he was. So in a way he had no idea how Harry felt right now; but not totally. He knew that worthless feeling that his godson was feeling, the one where you would never be worth anything. That was the feeling that had lead to twelve years in Azkaban, because he knew he had failed James and Lily. Now he had a second chance and he would not give it up as easily as he had the first. Now Harry needed him to be there for him, Sirius didn't know how he was going to do it but Harry was going to be with him for as long as he needed Sirius to be there for him. He would protect Harry now, the way he was always meant to. Harry would now take his place in the pack and be protected by the pack.

"But I am a wizard and they are muggles," Harry pressed. "I should have been able to do something even if I am smaller then they are. I could have used my magic to get me out. I did it before."

"Harry, listen to me," Sirius pressed trying to reach out to the hurt teen. "You couldn't have done anything. No mater what you think you were the victim and you were helpless. However, you are not helpless anymore. You have Moony and I to help you and protect you. As long as we are around we will do everything we can to keep you out of that house."

" 'Arry, what ya doin' here," a booming voice exclaimed from the doorway as Hagrid came in. Hagrids beard was as messy as it always was and his cloak was as dirty as the last time Harry had seen him. "Ya look like som'thin the cat dragged in. What happen to ya?"

"I'm alright, Hagrid," Harry mumbled. Harry felt like he was on display to the whole world and it was making him uncomfortable. "What's wrong Hagrid? You never come to the hospital wing unless you need something. At least I have never seen you here and I should know I spend a lot of time here." The change in Harry when he was talking to Hagrid did not go unnoticed by Sirius and although it troubled him he could not say that he did not like it. There was still some of the boy with the infectous smile left. Sirius just had to figure out how to find bring it back out.

"One of the thestrals is needin some healin salve," Hagrid answered. "I was just coming to get some. It run into a fence las' night and got pretty beat up."

Harry's expression quickly turned to one of compassion as his eyes followed the half giant to Madam Pomfrey's room. "I hope it will be all right," Harry called to the Games keeper and Care of Magical Creatures professor. "We should go help him, Sirius," Harry continued making to move off the bed.

"No, kiddo," Sirius replied. "You need to stay in bad and get your strength up before you go playing with any thestrals. Besides Remus will be coming pretty soon with some food." As Harry sank back onto the bed with a defeated look on his face Sirius, heart almost broke. As fast as it had disappeared the look of unworthiness was back on Harry's face. "Maybe after you eat Madam Pomfrey will let you go out for a little bit."

"Maybe," Harry muttered without much hope. Yeah, the matron would let him out when pigs flew, she had never let him out after just a night. She usually kept him in the hospital wing for at least two days if not more.

As Harry was brooding over the fact that Madam Pomfrey wouldn't be letting him out, the formidable witch walked out of her office. "Well, Mr. Potter, let us have a look at you," the witch stated as she ran her wand over the boy checking to see how things were healing. "If you promise to take your potions I see no reason that you can't go after you eat a little bit. However, there will be no flying or jumping off the tower for you and I want to see you in a weeks time."

"Yes, madam," Harry mumbled looking at the bedspread. He couldn't believe it, pigs must be flying now. "No flying and no jumping and come and see you next week. Do you know what Dumbeldore is going to do with me?"

"The Head Master will be down to talk to the three of you about that in a little while," the matron continued as she walked back into her office. As Pomfrey walked into her office Remus appeared with a basket full of breakfast food.


	6. Chapter 6

**Warning: rated M for rape, violence, and voulgure language. Don't like, don't read.**

**I obviously don't own Harry Potter. If I did I would be rich, famous, and Sirius Black would never have been murdered.**

Chapter 6

A week later found Sirius, Remus and Dumbeldore in the baseman kitchen of Gramauld Place waiting for a meeting of the Old Crowd and discussing things concerning Harry. The tension in the room was so thick that you could cut it with a knife and Sirius was scowling at the Head Master, while Remus had a contemplative expression on his face. He didn't particularly like the idea that the older wizard was proposing but he had to admit that it was a good one, if only they could guaranty Harry's safety without getting Sirius in anymore trouble this would work.

"Sirius, if there was anyone else I would consider it, or any other way," Dumbledore muttered just loud enough for Sirius and Remus to hear. Sirius had offered the use of Grimauld Place as a Headquarters after the return of Voldemort. The three were careful to keep there voices low as they did not particularly care to wake the e sleeping portrait of Sirius mother. "But there isn't. Honestly Severus is the perfect one for this and they won't be without back up. Think about Harry for a minute. Think what would be best for him."

"I am thinking about my godson and what is best for him," Sirius shot back. "That does not mean I have to like it. I can't even go there to help make sure that he is safe. You are asking me to virtually hand him over to the enemy without any assurance that we will get him back. You want me to sit here and pretend everything will be all right. Hasn't he been hurt enough already?"

"Sirius, we should talk about this later," Remus joined noticing that the other members were arriving and looking at the trio with questioning eyes. "I am sure that Albus has a plan to get Harry out safely. If we can get Wormtail we can prove your innocents and there won't be anymore hiding. You can finally walk around free and Harry will be where he should have always been, with you and the Ministry will have nothing to say about it."

Sirius sighed in defeat, Remus was right this was for the best, both for him and for Harry. The last week had been hard on the teen who was always looking over his shoulder afraid of both the ministry and anyone that might hurt him. It wasn't like the Head Master was asking someone that Harry really trusted to do this and there was no real love lost between the two, so the damage would be minimal.

As the last of the Order showed up Dumbeldore stood from his spot at the head of the table, it might have been Sirius house, but at every meeting the Head Master was given the place of honour as the leader of the group. "Thank you all for coming," he started. "I have called you all here to discuss a new development."

"Where is Severus?" Mrs. Weasley interrupted noticing the absents of the wizard. "Surely we can't start without him."

"That is what we are here to discuss," Dumbeldore replied with a calming voice. "Plans are in the work that will set one of the members here tonight free. However, I must ask for the help of the others gathered tonight and for your understanding. All of you gathered here will be affected by the success of tonights mission, some more then others."

Else where in the house a lone black cloaked figure crept through the dark halls, thinking of a messy black haired boy who he was suppose to kidnap and turn over to his supposed master thus insuring his loyalties. He just hoped that the Order Members response would be fast enough to keep the child from any real harm.

As the wizard entered the boys room he found the child curled into a tight ball mouning as if in pain, silently pleading whoever was attacking him to stop. "I am so sorry, Harry, that I have to do this to you," the greasy black haired man whispered to the sleeping child as he picked him up and bound him so he wouldn't get a way before turning and retracing his steps. "I will make this up to you." The spy knew that any trust the teen might have in him could be destroyed tonight and that it would take a long time to regain, if he was ever to regain that trust.

The spy left the dark and foreboding house and turned into an alley, before sending off a silver mist that that seemed to evaporate into the now empty place that the house had once occupied before disappearing himself. They reappeared on a bridge in a very run down nieghborhood and walked to a river bed at the side of the road.

It was here that the exchange was going to take place in a few minutes. The Potion Master would turn the frail body of Harry Potter over to Wormtail in hopes that the Order would get here in time to capture the rat and save the boy from torture at the hands of the Dark Lord.

Severus Snape hated that he had to hand over the broken child in such a way; but realised that this was the only way in which to both secure his standing in the Inner Circle of the Death Eaters and the innocence of one of his school rivals. With a finale look around he gentle put the teen down on the ground and waited. His fellow Death Eater should be showing up at any moment for the boy. Shortly after that the Order would arrive, everything had to be precise. The success of this mission depended on it.

After a few moments a short blonde man with a bald spot on the top of his head appeared on the bank of the river bed. The man had watering blue eyes and was slightly over weight with a silver hand. Severus hated this man more then he hated Black, for the simple reason that the man was so weak and made no secret about it, and made no effort to hide how weak he was.

Pettegrew had been part of the marauders and had tortured him simply with his presence in the group, he had thrived on the protection of the other three and had made no secret about it. He was the weak link in the bond that had held the Marauders together and the minute someone with more power had come a long Pettigrew had turned on his friends and gotten two killed in the process leaving Harry to grow up without parents. Severus was glad that the Order members would be arriving before the rat could get a way with Harry and would capture the rat and things could finally get to how they were suppose to be. He was glad that he had warded the area earlier against animagus transformation so Pettegrew couldn't transform and escape once again.

After handing Harry over to the rat Severus walked out of the river bed and headed down the road. When he got to the corner he turned around just as he heard several pops. 'I'm sorry, Harry, that I had to do this. Please forgive me," he silently pleaded before turning and disappearing with a small crack. He had a report to make and he did not want to be around when the fighting started. Snape realised that some might call his actions cowardise;but others would call it survival. The Slytherin had tried to convince Dumbeldore that he should at least stay long enough to get Potter out and back to Gramauld place; the Head Master had argued that if he stayed he could be found out and his role as a spy was to valuable to reveal at this time. That in fact he would be helping more by leaving a reporting immediatly to the Dark Lord.

Peter Pettigrew was relieved when the exchange had gone without a problem and was just going to levitate the boy with dark messy hair when he heard the several loud pops. When he had been told to meet the Potion Master by his Lord here he had felt uneasy at first;but his nervousness had left with the dark haired man; however it now returned at the sound of the pops. Had they found him at last, would he now be taken to Azkaban, the wizarding world prison? The animagus searched his surrounding for the cause of the disturbance and was releaved to find no one there. "It must have been an animal," Pettigrew whispered to himself as he started to again head up the riverbank.

As he climbed up the bank he heard a soft voice mutter, "You have fallen so far, Peter." The blonde wizard again looked around and spotted his old Head Master. He noticed the absence of the eye twinkle and the down turned mouth. "For years we thought that Sirius had turned to the Dark Lord and betrayed the P)Potters when it was you. In your moment of weakness you destroyed more then one life. You not only took Lily and James life but that of Harry, Remus and Sirius. Tonight we will be fixing some of the wrongs you have committed."

"He was going to kill me," Pettigrew whimpered to the older wizard.

"You could have come to me," Dumbledore responded pointing his wand at the blonde wizard. "We could have put you and your family into hiding, as we did the Potters and the Longbottoms. You had a choice to make, you always had a choice." When Dumbeldore was finished he sent a stunner towards the blonde wizard as a tear ran down his face.

"Kingsley, please take Pettegrew into custody," Dumbledore said to a dark skinned wizard. "I will be there shortly to make a report. Emmaline, please take Harry back to Head Quarters, I am sure there are people waiting for his safe return." A witch with blonde hair with streaks of red nodded as she went over to Harry and gentle picked him up and disappeared.

Kingsley went over to the stunned wizard and after restraining his hands he too disappeared with a pop and reappeared in an alley in London. From there he proceeded to a phone booth that took him down into the main floor of the Ministry.

The main entrance of the Ministry had gleaming white floors and walls and many witches and wizards were scurring around going from one place to another some just coming to work and others going home. With all the activity no one of them noticed the arrival of the Auror and the prisoner that was with him.

Kingsley silently went over to the lifts and rode them down to the holding cells where he ran into another Auror and gave the wizard a weak smile, justice was finally going to be served. "Good evening Mathews," Kingsley murmured passing the other wizard as he took Pettegrew to a holding cell.

"Hello, Kingsley," the wizard answed with a nod of his head and noticed the other wizard and his face blanched. The stunned wizard was none other then Peter Pettigrew who was supposed to have died almost fourteen years ago. "Is that Peter Pettigrew?"

Mathews remembered Pettigrew from Hogwarts, he was only a few years younger then the Marauders and had noticed how Pettigrew had followed the other three around. He had never really believed that Black had betrayed the Potters, they had always been est friend and were never seen apart.

"Yes," Kingsley answered with a nod. "Caught him tryin to take Potter somewhere a few minutes ago. Thought I should bring him here."

"I always had a problem with the idea that it was Black," Mathews continued. "He and James were inseperatable when they were in school. And that man there was always following them around like a little puppy. James and Sirius were the reason I wanted to be an Auror in fact."

Kingsley Shackelbolt peered at the other Auror for a minute before heading further down the hall and placing the illegal animagus into one of the holding cells. The holding cells were bare except for a bed and toilet that was in the far corner. "Make yourself comfortable, Pettigrew," the black Auror instructed. "This will be the most comfortable place your'll have from now on. With any luck you'll be given the kiss, that is what you deserve for what you did. And a piece of advice, don't try to transform it won't work." That said Shackelbolt turned and headed back to Mathews.

Andrew Mathews had shoulder length blond hair with red highlights running through it and bright blue eyes that would brighten, but not twinkle, when he smiled. Right now he was seated at a desk with several pieces of parchment spread on it. The parchments told of all the spells that were to be placed on the holding cell of the new prisoner and one bit caught his eye. It appeared that Pettegrew was an unregistered animagus. Andrew wondered how how had achieved such a feat by himself since he had always seemed to have trouble in school. If Pettegrew was an animagus could that mean that the other three also were.

Emmaline walked over to Harry and lightly touched his shoulder and disappeared to reappear in front of 12 Grimauld Place. She slowly picked the light boy up and headed to a black house with serpent doornobs. Emmaline pointed her wand at the door and it screeched as it slowly opened. Slowly Emmaline walked into the house and down narrow stairs into the kitchen. There was no doubt in her mind that this was the right move since Sirius was undoubtable driving Remus up the wall.

As Emmaline neared the doors to the basement kitchen she had started to breath heavily from carrying Harry even though he weighed next to nothing and noticed the door to the kitchen was wide open revealing a pacing Sirius and agitated Remus. "Come on, Padfoot, sit down," Remus exclaimed. "Somebody will be here soon to let us know what is happening and how Harry is doing."

"I can't," Sirius rebutted. "My godson could be in the hands of Voldemort and my life as a freeman depends on the out come of the whole thing."

As Emmaline walked into the kitchen Sirius immediatly went and took Harry from her and taking him up to the room he had been in before even though he knew that they would once again have to return to the castle for the next couple of days. They had been staying there until Sirius's name was cleared and he could take custody of Harry. Sirius just hoped that they would be able to move out of the castle before Harry's birthday the following week. The capture of Petigrew was sure to speed things along.

As Sirius laid Harry back onto the bed a brown barn owl swooped into the room and dropped a letter onto Sirius head before it swooped out of the room. Sirius reached up and took the letter off his head and examined it. The parchment had the official stamp of the ministry on it and Sirius tore it open and started reading it.

With the Ministry letter firmly clasped in his hand Sirius exited his godson's room and made his way back down to the basement kitchen. He knew what he wanted to do; but was unsure if it was the right thing to do. After twelve years of being in Azkaban the ministry was offering him the chance at a trial if he would turn himself in. A trial that he had not received before his imprisonment. Sirius was thankful for the trial and the chance to clear his name; but he was afraid to leave Harry at this point. What would happen to the boy if he was not there to help him recover from everything that had happened to him if he was not there to help him recover.

With the parchment still clutched tightly in his hand he entered the basement kitchen where he had left Remus and Emmaline just moments earlier. As Sirius entered the kitchen Remus looked over to him with a worried look on his face. "How is..." the question left Remus mind when he took in the paleness of his long time friends face. "Sirius, are you al right? Is Harry al right? Did something happen while you were up there with him?"

Sirius looked into Remus worried face and gave him a weak smile. "Harry's fine," Sirius replied as he held out the parchment with a shaking hand. "I just got a letter from the Ministry."

Remus slowly took the offered parchment as if scensing that the letter was the cause of his friends nervous state. Remus scanned the parchment then looked towards Emmaline who had gone over to Sirius and was trying to calm him down. "We should get a hold of Albus," Remus stated with a weak smile. "He will know the best way to handle this." With a nod Emmaline walked out of the kitchen and out to the alley she had left a short while ago to get Head Master Dumbledore.


	7. Chapter 7

**I obviously don't own Harry Potter. If I did I would be rich, famous, and Sirius Black would never have been murdered.**

_**Chapter 7**_

When Emmaline returned from retrieving Albus Dumbeldore she noticed that Sirius had not moved from the spot that he was in when she left. Remus however was once again sitting at the table with his head in his hands with a very defeated expression on is face. Emmaline was unsure exactly what the Ministry letter had said; but judging from the look of the two Marauders it had been not been that good.

Albus Dumbeldore entered the kitchen of Number 12 behind Emmaline with eyes twinkling only a little less then normal: but a smile still on his face. He was troubled by the sight of an all too calm and still Sirius, who had never sat still in all the years that Dumbeldore had known him. Even in classes Sirius could be seen fidgiting in his seat or running in the hall. The sight of a still Sirius worried Dumbledore more then the sight of Remus clutching the piece of parchment tightly in his hand.

Dumbeldor silently took a seat at the table while Emmaline went over to where Sirius standing putting her arms around him. "What should I do?" Sirius asked voicing the question that he had been thinking about since the arrival of the letter. He knew what he wanted to do but there was more to consider then him right now, and he wanted to do what was best for everyone this time around.

"First, I believe we should all find out what the parchment has to say," Dumbeldore stated conjuring some tea and biscuits for the four adults. "Then we can discuss what to do next. Remus, can I see the parchment please?" Dumbeldore held out his hand toward Remus waiting patiently for the parchment to be given to him.

Slowly Remus handed the parchment never looking up from the spot he had been staring at for the last five minutes. If anyone could figure out their next step it would be Dumbeldore. Remus had the utmost confidence in the older wizard and knew he would do what was best for everyone concerned. Dumbeldore quickly scanned the parchment before putting it aside and taking a drink of his tea.

"It seems that the Ministry wants you to turn yourself in," Dumbeldore stated ina calm voice. "If you turn yourself in peacefully they are prepared to give you a trial and possibly a pardon for your part in the betrayal and murder of Lily and James and the twelve muggles. They have dropped the murder charge for Peter since he is in Auror custody as we speak. What we need to know is what you want to do, Sirius."

"With all do respect, Headmaster," Sirius started. "I want my name cleared. However, what will happen to Harry. Where will he go and who will take care of him. He needs me right now more then ever before. I will not have him going back to those muggles."

"If Harry's care were not an issue then what would you do?" Dumbeldore asked kindly. "I am sure that we can find someone to take Harry in until the completion of the trial. After which I will help you to gain custody of him."

"I would turn myself in and hope for the best," Sirius muttered. "However, Harry does have to be considered in this."

"If I could interrupt," Remus politely interjected. "I believe that Andromeda and Ted would welcome Harry into their house. Ted after all is a certified healer and Andromeda a respected lawyer. Both of which we need right now. Lily and James had great respect for the both of them."

"That is a good idea," Dumbeldore muttered reflectively. "However, will they be willing to take the risk of having Harry with them."

"We can always ask them," Sirius cottoned on to the idea. Andromeda had always been his favourite cousin and he didn't know what he would have done without her around when he was younger. "I think we should have someone go and ask them or send an owl."

Remus nodded as he rose and walked out of the kitchen to go and retrieve the Tonks family including Nymphadora. Remus had been over to the Tonks house many times over the years often taking solace in their company when he was missing both his old friends and Harry. He knew that they would jump at the chance to take Harry into their house and Andy had been upset for the past two years with worry over where Sirius was and if he were safe. It had taken a lot for Remus not to tell her where Sirius was and that he was indeed safe. Now, though all of that would be remedied and he couldn't wait to be the one to deliver the message.

A short while later Remus was standing in front of a two story dark blue house with light blue shutters. A white picket fence ran a long the sidewalk leading up to the door, a barrier to keep visitors a way from the flowers that were directly behind the fence. Remus walked up to the door and lifted the Raven door knocker and waited for someone to come to the door.

The door was answered by a women that had her long black haired neatly pulled back into a low ponytail and a bright smile on her face. "Remus," the women greeted stepping out of the way to let Remus enter the house. "A little late for a visit; but a pleasure all the same. To what do we owe the privaledge of this visit?"

Remus looked into the eyes of Andromeda Tonks and noticed the sadness in their grey depths, it had been there for far too long and he just hoped that the news he brought today would remove the pain that was there. Andromeda and Sirius had always been close. There might have been eight years between them; but it was Andromeda the Sirius would turn to when things got to be too much.

"Can I come in?" Remus asked casting a glance behind him to the street beyond the the sidewalk. "I have a few things to discuss with you and Ted. They are of a slightly delicate and personal matter."

"Sure, Remus," the older witch gushed opening the door further and stepping to the side. "Mother would be apauled at my manors."

"And when have you ever cared what your mother thought?" A man with brown straight hair exclaimed as he walked into the foyer with a raised eyebrow. "If you cared about what your family thought we would have never been married in the first place. Hi, Remus."

Remus stepped into the comfortable house and looked around. He loved the Tonks' house. There were the typical muggle still pictures in the main rooms such as the living room and kitchen. However the rest of the house had moving pictures through out it. The house was a perfect balance between the muggle world and the wizarding world, one that very few were able to pull off with as much tact.

"Hello, Ted," Remus greeted the other wizard. "Sorry about the late visit. I came to see if the two of you could help a mutual friend. Certain things have come to my attention that I am unable, no matter how willing I am, to take care of. I find myself in need of both of your perfesional and personal help."

"Come now, Remus," Ted muttered. "You were never one to dance a round a problem like this. Spit it out so we can find a solution to the problem."

"Alright," Remus agrees running his hand through his blond wavy hair. "Not long a go it came to my attention that a certain boy was being abused at home. A mutual friend of ours went to retrieve said child and is now may have to face the Wizengmot for another mater. As I said I would gladly take the child in, however because of what I am, I am not allowed."

As Remus told his story, rather the short version of the story Andromeda started to show concern for not only the child; but also the rescuer of said child. "Why were the Aurors not informed of this," Andromeda wondered. "Nothing has come across any desks in the legal department that i know of. Has anyone come to the hospital, Ted?"

"You know that if their had then I would not be able to tell you about it," Ted responded to his wife. Ted tried to remember if there had been any such child in the last few days and was coming up with a blank.

"Because of the popularity of the child Albus deemed it nessasary to treat the child in private," Remus contributed. "Both Severus and Poppy have repaired a lot of the physical damage. However there still is a lot of mental turmoil that the child is going through."

Ted and Andromeda both looked at each other as if having a private conversation before it dawned on them who exactly the child was. There was only one child that could cause such a showing in Albus Dumbeldore and cause him to keep such a secret. "At first, Albus felt that it would be better to keep the child with his rescuer. However recent events have made this impossible any longer."

"This child," Ted exclaimed. "This child is Harry Potter isn't it?" When Remus nodded ted continued. "How long has this been going on and why has no one learned of it before?"

"We are unsure," Remus muttered feeling yet again as if he had failed Lily and James. "All we know is that it got really bad at the beginning of holiday until a week ago. That s when our mutual friend went and retrieved Harry from his relatives. He has been staying at Hogwarts with said friend for the past week."

"This mutual friend wouldn't happen to be a cousin of mine wold it?" Andromeda stated her eyes losing a little of the pain in them. After all her and Ted had not been placed in Ravenclaw for nothing.

"It would," Remus nodded. "We received a letter from the Ministry offering him a full pardon, if he turned himself in no later then tomorrow morning. Since, the school staff are all leaving on vacation there is no place for Harry to go."

"So you want Harry to come here while the trial is going on," Ted stated from next to his wife. "And you would like Andy to represent her cousin in front of the Wizengomot."

"We were hoping that the two of you would agree to this," Remus replied. "We understand that the danger to the both of you and Nymphadoria is great, should you agree. We know last time you tried to stay out of the main fighting for the safety of your child and will understand if you chose not to."

"If we were to turn Harry a way," Andromeda muttered. "What would Lily and James think? They never backed down from a fight when they knew they were in the right. What would they think of us if we were to deny their son some happiness, no mater how brief we have him. It is what Lily and James would have wanted."

Remus couldn't believe how easy this was going, he had been sure that he would have to do a lot more convincing since both Ted and Andromeda had wanted to stay in the background the last time. This time however they were willing to take on a very dangerous mission by taking Harry in even if it was only for a little while.

"Where are they?" Ted asked coming back in to the foyer carrying a small black bag and a briefcase. "We should get going so we can get some work done before the morning."

Remus glanced at the determined wizard and felt for once that everything would work out. "At Grimmauld Place," Remus informed the duo. "We had a meeting earlier and..."

"That is where Nymphy was earlier," Andromeda stated going over to her husband and taking her briefcase. "I never thought I would be welcomed into that house again. At least not while it was in the hands of a Black. For that matter I never thought my cousin would return to the ansestriol home once he left to stay with the Potter's."

_The room was dark and Harry laid chained to a bed while a man with long black hair leaned over him. "Aren't you a pretty little thing?" the man sneered looking at the boy. "You are going to so enjoy this." The man held a whip in one hand and was undressing with the other._

_Harry knew what was coming but was unable to do anything to stop it. He felt helpless and could feel the tears start to run down his checks. The black haired man let the whip loose and it hit Harry across the chest leaving a faint red mark. The tears continued to fall from Harry's eyes; but he refused to let any noise escape his throat._

_A man with light brown hair soon joined the dark hair man and started sneering at Harry also. "Your parents would be disgraced," the other man exclaimed. "You have disgraced the name that they gave you. They would be so ashamed of you."_

_Harry couldn't help but let the tears fall. He knew his parents would be disappointed in him and wouldn't want anything to do with him after what his uncle had done to him. "You are a disgrace to all wizards," the first man in toned. "You couldn't even stop a simple muggle. Look at you, a whore for everyone to see."_

"_Cry a little more baby," the second taunted. "Maybe if you cry and beg enough they will forgive you. Look at what you have become, this was not what they gave their lives for."_

"_You are nothing," the first muttered. "You are less then nothing. You are lower then nothing and will never amount to anything."_

"Stop, please stop," Harry screamed. He was in a double four poster bed in a room with brown paint. The bed had a green bedspread that was twisted around him. Harry's hair was sticking to his forehead that was sweating as if he had run a mile in sweltering heat. "I am sorry. Please don't hate me, Mum. Please don't hate me, dad."

Suddenly the door to the room was thrown open and a man with long jet black hair rushed in and over to the bed. Sirius wore a worried expression on his face and the mischivious glint that was usually in his eye was replaced by sadness. Sirius rushed to his godson's bedside in two strides and pulled the boy into a a tight hug.

"It is all right, Harry," Sirius muttered holding the boy tight. "I'm here for you and won't let you go back there."

Harry's eyes flew open as Sirius pulled Harry into a hug, the emerald green eyes that had regained most of the light over the past week were now once again veiled in pain and fear. "Pleases, let me go," Harry cried. "I'll be good. I'll do what you want. Please don't hurt me."

Sirius couldn't believe the words coming out of Harry's mouth. Harry actually thought that he would hurt him, in that moment Sirius could not have hated Vernon Dursley more then he did at that moment. No fifteen, well almost fifteen year old should have to fear someone as much as his godson feared him at this time. "I'm not going to hurt you," Sirius gently stated running his hand a long Harry's back.

"Let me go," Harry started screaming. "Let me go. I don't want you here. You are going to hurt me."

As Remus led the two Tonks into the house he could hear the fear in Harry's voice and the desperation in Sirius's without a thought to the new arrivals the werewolf took the stairs leading to Harry's room two at a time praying to anyone that was listening that he would be able to help the boy he thought of as his cub. He had no idea what had caused the fear in Harry but he would do anything to take it a way.

As Remus walked into harry's room he found the boy hitting and struggling to get out of his godfather's comforting and loose embrace. Remus also noticed the tears in both wizards' eyes. "Harry, we are not going to hurt you," Remus tried to soothe. "We would never hurt you."

Harry turned tired eyes toward remus Lupin and started crying harder. "Please, don't," Harry begged. "I'll be good. Let me go."

Not knowing what else to do Sirius reluctantly let Harry go and watched as the boy curled into himself. Turning sorrow filled eyes to Remus Sirius asked. "What do we do, Rem? I can't leave him like this."

Unnoticed by the two friends Ted Tonks had slipped into the room and had observed the exchange. "Maybe we should leave Harry a lone and go talk down stairs," Ted stated from the door.

As the three wizards entered the dark hall Ted silently cast an observation charm on the room that would alert him if Harry tried to do anything to himself. Quietly the three wizards walked down to the basement kitchen where Andromeda, Emmaline and Nymphadora were waiting at the long table with tea and biscuits. All three of the witches had pensive looks on their faces. "How is he, dad?" Tonks asked from her spot on the table. "Will he ever be the same happy Harry we all knew at the end of the school year?"

"I have no idea," Ted replied looking at his daughter with tears in his eyes. He was mourning the life that Harry had never had and for the one he had lost. "We just have to take it one day at a time. All of us have failed him so much. We have asked so much of him and given him so little."

"Most of the blame goes to me," Sirius in toned. "I promised James and Lily I would look after him if they couldn't. Instead of looking after Harry I went after Peter and he got sent to those those muggles." Sirius spat out muggles as if it were a piece of very raw meat.

"We also promised James and Lily that we would look after Harry if you and they could not," Andromeda muttered. "Even though we were able to we never once went to check on him. We were too afraid, even after HE fell to check on him. The blame goes to all of us; yet none of us. We all did what we thought was right at the time."

"Well, there is nothing we can do about the past," Tonks exclaimed getting up to get some more cups. As she was getting up she tripped on her robes and Remus quickly reached out a steadying hand before she fell onto the floor.

"honestly, Nymph," Andromeda admonished with a sigh. "I have to wonder how you even became an Auror in the first place as clumsy as you are." Andromeda calmly swished her wand a three cups floated onto the table. "Now, Sirius, we must talk about the trial tomorrow. May I see the note so I may ready a case."

calmly Sirius handed his cousin the parchment that he had received earlier and waited for her to read it.


	8. Chapter 8

**I obviously don't own Harry Potter. If I did I would be rich, famous, and Sirius Black would never have been murdered.**

**Chapter 8**

The next morning Harry awoke and went into the kitchen of Grimmauld Place to find the three wizards and three witches engaged in a mild discussion about the trial that was to be held right after breakfast. Remus and Ted were all for taking Harry to the trial saying that it would do him some good to see how the wizarding legal system worked before he had to appear before them for the trial of his relatives, while Andromeda and Sirius were worried that it might cause unneeded stress to him if things went bad for Sirius. While Sirius was innocent of the crimes he had spent twelve years in Azkaban for, he had still broken out of the prison two years ago.

Not sure if he was allowed to say anything and still afraid of what the others, especially the four adults that he did not know that well, would do, Harry calmly walked over to the stove and started breakfast. But Harry's calm was only a mask that belied the hidden turmoil within - in truth Harry was a bundle of nerves and it was all he could do not to scream, cry, laugh, and shake at the same time.

The dream he had last night had seemed so real, yet he knew now that it had only been a dream. In the dream the two men that looked like Sirius and Remus were going to hurt him; but Harry knew that they would never hurt him in reality. Last night when first Sirius and then Remus had run in to comfort him Harry had been reluctant to let them touch him. Yet, this morning, it was all he wanted. He wanted Sirius to give him his lopsided smile and tell him every thing was all right, that nothing had changed. He wanted Remus to give him that smile that made his hazel almost gold eyes lose their intelligent glint and gain one of humour. Yet, like every morning before Sirius had come to rescue Harry, what Harry wanted he was sure he would not get.

Then there were the other four adults in the room, two of which he knew a little, but the other two were complete unknowns. Had Sirius and Remus grown tired of him and planning on sending him away? Harry had tried to make them happy; but must have failed in some way. Was there still time to fix the damage he had caused last night or had they all ready decided what to do with him?

Harry was so quiet when he entered the room that none of the adults noticed him until Emmaline noticed the sweet aroma of chocolate chip pancakes coming from the stove. The smell reminded Emmaline of all the times she and Lily would make the same thing for Harry, Sirius and James - it had always been a favourite of the males. Emmaline, not really having an opinion one way or another, rose from the bench to go and help Harry. She was sure that Nymphadora could take care of any minor disputes that went beyond vocal comments, after all the Auror was more then capable of taking care of herself out on the field.

The metamorphmagus noticed the other witch get up from her spot next to Sirius, and followed her with her eyes where she finally noticed Harry by the stove. She was unsure how much the young wizard had heard; but knew that hearing the adults fighting was upsetting him. The metamorphmagus looked around the room as her hair changed from bubble-gum pink to a fiery red. "Stop this, all of you," Nymphadora muttered commandingly. "You're all being selfish. You all have your own reasons why Harry should not go. However, not one of you has mentioned what the Potters would want."

In all honesty the young witch had little idea what the Potters' would have wanted if faced with such a situation; but she knew in her heart - from stories she had heard - that their friends fighting would not have been it. So she had done the only thing she could think of, she asked the question her parents always asked her when she was faced with a problem, what would the other person do. The name never really mattered as it changed for each situation; this time it was the Lily and James. And to be honest with herself Nymphadora now with red hair and green eyes very much wanted to know what they would have done.

It was true that Harry was a teenager and that he was Sirius' godson; but he was aso so much more, and, above all else he was Sirius' friend. From what she had heard from her parents and from the others in the room that had known Lily and James well she was sure that they would not have left a friend alone at a time like this. Someone that would willingly lay down their life for another would not send a friend to face the courts alone.

Remus was the first to regain his thoughts, he had been thrown for a minute by the metamorphmagus' appearance - so much like Lily's. The werewolf looked into those startling emerald green eyes and saw the determination in them, the undying loyalty. Those were Lily's eyes and so much much more, they were also James eyes for they also held humour and strength. How the metamorphmagus pulled this all off Remus did not know; but he saw two of the best friends he ever had in those eyes and he knew what they both would do. They would have taken Harry to the Ministry and sat there with him. Explaining everything to him. They would have rocked their little boy if this went bad and found a way for everything to be all right. Lily and James never went into a situation without knowledge. They had had a simple belief; that armed with knowledge anything was possible - true they used the knowledge for different ends - but it was used. So that was what they would have to do.

"They would have wanted Harry to go," Remus commented. "James would have never let you do it alone and he would expect nothing less from his son, Lily would have wanted him to go so he would be armed with the knowledge the experience would give him. They would have wanted Harry to go, each for their own reason." The remaining adults all nodded their heads - Remus was right- Lily and James would have wanted them to take Harry. Knowledge was power, Harry's parents both had a thirst for knowledge and would do anything to get it.

Wizards and witches scurried along the halls of the Ministry building as Harry and the adults flooed in, Nymphadora having a firm hold of Sirius. The night before it had been agreed that Sirius would pretend that he had turned himself in to his younger cousin to turn attention a way from the Tonks family as a whole. It was actually a wonderful plan, one that would explain why the whole family was there.

The plan was that Sirius had contacted the Tonks house asking Andromeda for help with his case that morning and Nymphadora was there when he arrived so had taken him into custody. Ted was there to offer support to both his wife and daughter as this was a family matter. There was just enough truth in the plan to make it passable; yet not enough to give anything a way.

Remus was there to give his support to Harry, as Sirius was Harry's godfather - and the accused traitor that caused his parents death. The werewolf silently stood between his last remaining best friend and the boy who had the hopes of the wizarding world on his small shoulders. As hard as Remus had tried, he had no idea what this was like for the others. He was the outsider, the one that was not family - yet he was family. Remus felt as if he was intruding on a family affair, but Harry's plea had cemented his decision to go. Harry had begged and pleaded with Remus explaining that out of everyone gathered at Grimmauld Place, other then Sirius, it was Remus who made him feel the safest. That simple statement assured Remus more then anything had that morning. If Harry still felt safe with he and Sirius- then the boy was not lost, he could come back to them.

The group made their way to the lifts and rode them down to the lowest level where they split up, Andromeda, Sirius and Nymphadora to the ministry holding cells and the rest to Court Room 10. The group that went to the court room took their seats with Remus on one side of Harry and Emmaline on the other side, while Ted would sit behind Harry ready to provide support if need be. Harry, unknown to himself, had actually given Ted the perfect opportunity to observe how this family of sorts would work. True half the family was missing, but with the war starting up - and no end in sight - it was going to be very uncommon to ever see this strange menagerie of people together and Ted thought it would be just as important to see how the adults acted towards Harry both separately and together.

After Sirius's trial, if things went the way they were hoped to go, Pettigrew would be tried and hopefully convicted. The group planned to stay for this trial as it was agreed that Harry as well as the remaining Marauders needed to see this trial. It was also at that time that Sirius planned to ask the Wizengamot for custody of Harry. It might only be two years; but Sirius vowed he would do what ever he could to make the next two years the best years of Harry's life.

As more people entered the Court Room Harry became more and more uncomfortable, to Harry it felt as if the room was closing in around him. All the people made Harry feel very uncomfortable and he started to break out in a cold sweat.

Remus cast a glance at his cub out of the corner of his eye and noticed Harry's tension. "Harry, are you sure you want to stay? We can leave and wait for the trial to finish; if they need us Emmaline or Ted can come and get us."

"No," Harry stated shaking his head visioiusly. "I have to stay. I'll be all right. Besides Sirius needs you to be here for him. I just wish..."

"What do you wish?" Emmaline questioned brushing a strand of brownish-blond hair out of her eye.

"That there were not so many people here," Harry finished. "I didn't think that there would be this many people here. Will the..." Harry stopped himself, he couldn't ask that, he was suppose to be the saviour, he was suppose to defeat Voldemort, yet he was afraid of a simple Court Room full of people, most of whom wouldn't even be in his corner.

"Will what?" Emmaline prodded again. The worry almost guilt was rolling off of Harry in a tidal wave, Emmaline was sure she was not the only one to feel it, although no one else seemed to be questioning it. But then why would they, this was a Court Room and people came here expecting to feel the guilt of the accused. "You can tell us, none of us will think any less of you."

Harry took a breath and summoned up what little Gryffindor courage he could find. "Will there be as many people here when..." Harry again stopped as his courage left him.

"When your relatives stand trial?" Ted finished for Harry, finally joining the conversation. At Harry's nod he continued, "We will be in a private closed Court Room, the only people there will be Andromeda, a few Aurors, your relatives, me, you and anyone else you want there. The press will not be allowed in to the room, nor will anyone that is not on the list that Andy will give to the guards. If at anytime you get uncomfortable, you can ask for a break. I want you to ask to get up and leave at anytime today that you feel uncomfortable. If you do not want to bother Remus to take you out then I would be happy to as I am sure Emmaline would also."

At Emmaline's nod Harry smiled, he wasn't sure why, but he felt more comfortable around Emmaline right now then he did around Remus or Ted. Harry wondered if there might be something wrong with him to be thinking like that.

Emmaline was not like Mrs. Weasley who was always showering Harry with hugs and pampering him, much the same way she did her kids. Emmaline let Harry direct the relationship and how far he wanted it to go, never pushing the invisible boundary. Harry was the one to set the boundary and was free to adjust it as he saw fit. The two of them had come to this agreement while they were putting the finishing touches on breakfast that morning, Harry just hoped that Emmaline would stand by this agreement. So far she had done nothing to indicate that she would not follow the agreement either before or after the agreement was made. True Harry had not had much contact with either Emmaline or Nymphadora; but what little he had seemed to support the terms of the agreement Harry and Emmaline had entered earlier.

As Harry sat and pondered these things, he did not notice how quiet the court room had gotten until Remus put his hand on Harry's shoulder and told him to stand. At the sudden contact Harry jumped a little but stood none the less while the 21 members of the Wizengamot entered the room and sat in their chairs on a raised platform. After everyone in the audience sat down the wizard in the middle, who must have been the leader or most senior, spoke up, "Sirius Orion Black, you are here before the Wizengamot of England on charges of being a Death Eater, Escaping From Azkaban, treason to England Wizarding Law Enforcement, and being an illegal animagus - how do you plead."

Sirius, who had been outwardly calmly been sitting in a chair in the middle of the room with chains around his arms looked toward the Wizengamot and stated, "Not guilty on all but two accounts with an explanation forth coming for both." Sirius and Andromeda had expected them to bring up the animagus charge and had spent several hours preparing for such a thing.

After poring through several books in the black library - why there were law books there was a mystery in and of itself- they found what they needed. A little known law, one that they hoped they could use, stated that if a wizard became an animagus they had five years in which to report their form: unless there were extenuating circumstances. The law had also gone on to explain the circumstances that it encompassed.

The Court Room gasped at Sirius' plea, no one had ever made such a plea when faced with the Dementors kiss. They were either guilty or not guilty, there was never an explanation to justify a crime. The Wizengamot for their part just looked at each other as if having a private conversation. Dumbeldore had warned them about this one, never to expect a simple yes or no, to always expect the unexpected. However, if you were guilty of something there was never an explanation - you were guilty - it had always been that simple.

"Fine," the senior wizard stated waving his hand. "Young Mr. Weasley will read the charges individually and you will answer for them one by one. Know that after the reading we will be using Veritaserum for any answers we feel we need clarified."

"Your Honors," Andromeda broke in from the chair she had conjured next to the one Sirius was chained to. "I would like to ask the court on my client's behalf to administer the Veritaserum before the charges are read individually. I believe the simple nature of this case warrants, demands even, that some exceptions be made. As a former Auror Mr. Black is able to take repeated doses of Veritaserum without any severe side effects. If, after the reading of the individual charges you are still not satisfied, my client has agreed to also have Legilimency used should the court feel it is necessary."

The court as a whole was stunned - the Black's being one of the oldest pure blood families had the right to make such a request - but this had not happened in a court hearing since the time of Grindelwald and even then only once.

Usually the court read the charges after they received the plea, in the cases where there were multiple charges the charges, they were read individually and a plea was entered. After that, if the Wizengamot wished; Veritaserum was administered and the accused would be questioned and evidence would be offered.

However, this case was turning everything around. It seemed that there would be only one reading of the individual charges, and an explanation for some would be offered. This case promised to be the most interesting case that they had heard in a long time.

"Very well, Mrs. Tonks, an Auror will come and administer the Veritaserum," the Head Wizard replied. "Is there anyone that you wish to verify the validity of the serum before it is administered?"

"No, we trust the Court's judgment in this," Andromeda responded as she noticed her daughter bring the serum to them. It seemed the court was going out of their way to accommodate them today.

Sirius looked towards the metamorphmagus and held out his tongue for the traditional three drops of Veritaserum. Slowly his eyes glazed over and took on a far away look - the potion was now working. Percy Weasley, who was sitting to the side of the 21 member panel of the Wizengamot, looked down at his list and started the questioning, "Please state your name for the court."

"Sirius Orion Black," Sirius murmured with a far of look and a monotone voice. Harry immediately became concerned, that was not his godfathers voice, there was no humour in it. Why had Sirius left him, why didn't he like him anymore? Harry began to shake in fear that Sirius would try to get rid of him.

Remus noticed Harry tense beside him and looked towards the teen and whispered to him soothingly, "Sirius will be fine. When this is all done we will all live together as your parents wanted. Just relax; it's just the potion that's making him act like this." When Harry nodded Remus turned back to the hearing.

Percy was still reading off the list of charges, "On the charge of escaping from Azkaban how do you plead?"

"Guilty with explanation," Sirius responded in his monotone voice.

"What possible explanation could you have?" a blonde haired witch asked from the panel.

"I had to protect my godson from the traitor," Sirius replied. "The traitor was at Hogwarts and I was worried that he would get to Harry."

"Very well," the witch said. "Mr. Weasley, you may continue reading the charges."

"Thank you, Madam Bones," Percy responded. "On the charge of treason, how do you plead?"

"Not guilty. There was never any treason."

"Being an illegal animagus how do you plea?"

"Guilty because of extenuating circumstances."

The court gasped - here was someone that had spent twelve years in Azkaban for something it appeared he did not do - not only was this man an escaped convict he was also an illegal animagus. What was more he claimed to have an explanation to the fact that he was an illegal animagus - this was so typical of the Blacks - the family seemed to believe they could get a way with anything. Being an animagus was simple, you either were or you weren't, it was not something that could be done in halves.

"Explain these circumstances," a rather toadish faced woman demanded.

By know the Veritaserum had started to wear off and Sirius was starting to regain some of the humour in his eyes. Normally a person in this situation would not find it at all humourous, but Sirius was not a normal person - he tried to find humour in everything - and nor was this a normal situation. Sirius cast a weak smile to Andromeda then turned to the members of the Wizengamot, "It is true that I am an animagus, a black grim like dog to be exact. However, I do have a total of five years to report my form after I have perfected it. If you perfect your form while at school, as I did, then you have five years after you graduate."

"Hem, hem," the toad-faced woman interrupted. "Are you saying, Mr. Black, that you became an animagus while still in school?"

"Fifth year, in fact," Sirius answered. "As did James Potter and Peter Pettigrew. We thought it would be a brilliant idea. A way to sneak out late at night."

"You have been out of school for seventeen years," a red haired elderly wizard pointed out. "That is a lot more then the allotted five years." The members of the Wizengamot had just sent an underling to go find this obscure law - if it did indeed exist.

"True," Andromeda cut in before her cousin could answer. "However, the law also states that if an animagus is incarcerated for whatever reason, the time that they are incarcerated does not count. Also, in the event of a war, if the animagus is fighting in said war this time also does not count. As a member of the Auror squad and an active member of The Order of the Phoenix my client qualifies for both of these also. So Mr. Black actually still has three years to register his form with the appropriate office."

"Can you tell us what law you are referring to?" the red haired wizard asked.

"It is the Law for the Regulation and Control of Animagus and Magical Creatures," Andromeda continued picking up a book and opening it before floating it up to the members of the Wizengamot. "We in fact have it marked here to help save you some time and energy. In light of all the testimony my client has provided to you and his willingness to go under Veritaserum I ask that you find him not guilty on all charges."

"But he admitted to escaping from Azkaban," the toad faced women stated emphatically.

"This is true, Madam Umbridge," Andromeda stated. "However, Mr. Black was in fact serving time for a crime he did not commit. If no crime was committed, my client should not have been incarcerated. If there had been a trial at that time I have faith that we would not be here today and that the true guilty party would have been found long ago."

"Thank you Councillour Tonks, we will take this all in consideration," the senior Wizengamot member said. "We will take a short recess as we consider this case. After which we will give you our decision." Everyone rose as the members of the Wizengamot filed out the way they had come and into an adjoining room. Nymphadora and Kingsley Shacklebolt went to Sirius and took him into a holding cell where he would wait for the verdict to be read.

Andromeda then went over to Ted and the others with a slight smile, things seemed to be looking up for them now. If only the Wizengamot found Sirius innocent everything could go to the way it should be.

As Andromeda neared the group she noticed that Harry was again nervous and biting his lip. "Harry, what's wrong?" she asked in a quiet voice, as the mother in her wanted to take the boy in her arms and reassure him that things would all work out, that he would be with Sirius now. But there was the promise to consider - Emmaline had related the conversation and arrangement that her and Harry had made - and that had to be honoured.

"What will happen if they send him back?" Harry wondered. "I can't go back there. Where will I go? Sirius was the only one that wanted me."

Andromeda smiled at the troubled teen, she had so much respect for the young man that sat in front of her husband. "You will come and stay with Ted and I," Andromeda responded. "We and Remus discussed all of this last night. But Sirius should get off, you must have faith."

Harry gave Andromeda a weak smile as he drew further into his chair as if protecting himself from some unknown assailant - one that only he could see. Andromeda watched the teen and cast a quick glance toward her husband; it hurt so much to see any child suffer the way Harry was. "What do you want to happen, Harry?" Ted asked from his chair. "Do you want to come and stay with us or do you want to go somewhere else?"

"I want to stay with Sirius; but he doesn't want me anymore," Harry mumbled. The only thing that had registered with Harry was that he was going to stay with the Tonks' and that it had already been decided. Sirius and Remus didn't want him, the only links he had to his parents, the only father figures he had left didn't want him - why would they he was weak.

"Sirius wants you to stay with him," Remus said comfortingly. Something was wrong with his cub; his cub thought that they didn't want him. "We all want you to stay with us. When Sirius gets off we will all stay together. Nothing you do can make us not want you, nothing you say will make us think any less of you."

Harry gave Remus a weak smile before straightening when there was a commotion on the floor of the Court Room, the Aurors were coming back and apparently the ever graceful Nymphadora had tripped on her robes. Andromeda gave her husband and friends one last smile before she left for her chair shaking her head. Nymph really was a klutz at times and Andromeda often wondered how her daughter ever made it into the Auror squad.

The witches and wizards in the Court Room rose as the members of the Wizengamot entered the court room and took their seats once more. "The members of this court find one Sirius Orion Black…"


	9. Chapter 9

**I obviously don't own Harry Potter. If I did I would be rich, famous, and Sirius Black would never have been murdered.**

Chapter 9

_The witches and wizards in the Court Room rose as the members of the Wizengamot entered the court room and took their seats once more. "The members of this court find one Sirius Orion Black…"_

Harry held his breath waiting for the verdict, would the court find Sirius innocent and let him live with Sirius, would Harry get something that he wanted for once? Harry sat in his chair holding his breath while Percy Weasley read the verdict. "The members of this court find one Sirius Orion Black innocent on all charges."

There was a collective gasp of surprise around the court room, one of the most feared convicts was innocent of the crimes he had supposedly committed. How many other innocent people had been sent to Azkaban and the guilty party left to roam free? If there was one, could there not be more, the simple perfection of the legal system was now in question.

If Sirius Black had not betrayed the Potters then who had, who else would the Potters have trusted enough to make their secret keeper, were they still out there running free? Was the-boy-who-lived at risk of once again being hunted now that the traitor was no longer comfortably free?

Percy Weasley adjusted his glasses and began reading the charges individually, "On the charge of being a Death Eater in a vote of 21 to 0 you are found not guilty, on the count of treason in a count of 21-0 you are found not guilty, on the count of being an illegal-animagus the court finds you not guilty in a count of 21-0, on the count of escape from Azkaban in a count of 16 to 5 you are not guilty." Percy sat down and cast a slight grin in Harry's direction; the redhead had grown to think of the black haired wizard as one of his brothers and was happy that he would now have the family he so much desired and deserved.

The senior member of the Wizengamot spoke-up. "Sirius Orion Black this assemblage of the Wizengamot has found you innocent on all counts and asks that you register your animagus form before you leave today. In light of this decision we also ask if you would be able to assume the responsibilities of the godfather of one Harry James Potter as they are described in the agreement that both you and the Potters' entered into the day you were named godfather. In light of your past the court will be asking that regular visits be made to a licensed professional as to your state of mind for the upcoming year. Are you in agreement with this?"

Harry held his breath, would Sirius still want him with this stipulation, would he agree to someone coming and checking up on them anytime they wanted. Ted, sensing Harry's unease leaned forward and whispered in his ear, "It's all right, Harry. We talked about this all last night; plans were made for all contingences. We expected them to make a request like this if Sirius were to get off."

Harry gave an audible sigh as he relaxed slightly - there was a plan - everything would be all right. Harry watched as Sirius nodded his head, "I would like to take Harry and raise him as I always should have. I would like to request that Ted Tonks be the one to act as Harry and my councilor as I believe he would be the one most suited to deal with the situation."

The court gasped once again, a lot of planning had gone into this, what else could be going on that Sirius would request the services of one of the best councilors in all of Wizarding England ? The members of the Wizengamot frowned at the animagus as they considered what they had heard - if they refused this request it would look bad for them - it was well known that Medi-Wizard Tonks was one of the best and had a waiting list longer then any other.

Taking his cue Ted stood up, "I have reviewed certain aspects of this case, your Honours," Ted began commandingly. "I would be willing to take Mr. Black and Mr. Potter as I have history with both of them and believe that to many people involved with certain aspects of this case would be detrimental to their mental well being."

"Very well," the head of the Wizengamot said. "We will recess for an hour then we will hear the case of Peter Pettigrew versus the common good." With that the Wizengamot stood as one and exited leaving a court full of wizards wondering what else could happen today, and unsure if any of them could take any more surprises.

"That was entertaining to say the least," Nymphadora commented as she joined her family and friends for a light lunch at a small Oriental restraint in muggle London that was a favourite of her parents. "You should hear the uproar the trial has caused in the Auror department. They're all wondering if Sirius will come back or not."

Sirius looked at his younger cousin with a slight smile, for years he had wondered if the department would accept him back in their ranks or not. Now, though, he was unsure what he wanted to do. He knew that Harry needed him; but Harry was going to school in little over a month. Would Harry still need him then, when he had all of his friends around him? Sirius tabled that for another time, this was neither the time nor the place for such thoughts.

Remus, sensing his friends distress, cast a side glance toward the animagus wondering what he was thinking. True Sirius and James had been a great asset to the Aurors back then - and they had enjoyed it - but would his friend return to the squad and what would Harry do if Sirius did?

The group had a silent dinner each contemplating their own thoughts concerning the events of the morning and the future. After dinner they returned to the ministry for the trial of Peter Pettigrew, the reason that their lives were in so much turmoil in the first place.

The dungeon Court room was again filled with witches and wizards as they waited for Peter Pettigrew to take the stand. Within minutes, the last of the wizards took their seats and the back doors of the court room opened and a blond husky man was lead into the dungeon between two dementors and over to the witness chair. There was no council this time. No sooner had Wormtail sat down then the chains on the chair magically wrapped around the traitor.

"Peter Pettigrew, you are called before the court today on numerous charges," Albus Dumbledore intoned. Dumbledore had taken over for the elderly red-headed wizard, who was now on Dumbledore's right. More wizards had joined the panel and it had increased to the size of 25. "You are charged with being a Death Eater, treason to the wizarding world of Britain, accessory to the deaths of Lily and James Potter, being an illegal animagus, and disruption of justice. How do you plea?"

"He would have killed me," Peter whimpered. His Lord in fact would kill him now if he were to get free, as bad as Azkaban was, the wrath of the Dark Lord was worse by far. "I had no choice, he would have killed me."

"And we would have protected you," Dumbledore refuted. "James, Remus and Sirius would have given anything up to protect you as would I. All you had to do was ask."

"You don't understand," Peter sobbed. "He would have killed me if I had not done what I did."

"Then this court has no choice but to convict you of the crimes you are accused of," Dumbledore responded. "Is there any in this room that wish to offer a statement before the sentencing is to take place?"

Harry looked around him, at Sirius who had been taken from him for so long, at Remus who could not take him in because of the werewolf then at Pettigrew - the reason he had no parents, before he stood. "Sir, if I could," Harry whispered gathering his Gryffindor courage around him. Harry was unsure exactly why he was doing this; like in third year when he had let Wormtail escape death he was once more defending his parent's betrayer. "Sir, I never had a chance to know my parents, however I do not believe they would have wanted the death of one of their friends on their hands nor that of their friends. As bad as what Pettigrew did was and still is, I would like to ask the court to wave death and instead send him to Azkaban for life. For there he will be hunted with the knowledge of what he did to his friends."

Just when the occupants of the room had though that this day could not get any stranger, it did. Harry Potter, the boy that had to grow up without parents was defending his parent's betrayer, asking the court to wave death.

Dumbledore beamed down at his young student, he had only seen such strength in so few of his former students and rarely in someone so young. "Mr Potter, it takes great courage and wisdom for you to make such a statement. As you are the one that was affected the most we will take your appeal under advisement when we discuss what is to be done with Mr. Pettigrew. Is there anyone else that would like to offer a few words?"

Sirius was stunned by what his godson had said. Harry was, once again, defending the rat, the person that Sirius had wanted to hunt down for the last two years. But Sirius had to admit that he was not all that surprised by what Harry had said, he had demonstrated his forgiveness almost two years before, when he and Remus had tried to kill the rat.

Sirius knew that he had to say something and, taking his lead from Harry, he stood up. "I will not ask why you did what you did," Sirius said, taking a deep breath. "I will however tell you of everything that you could have had. We could have all raised Harry and watched him grow into the wonderful child that he is. We could have all kept him safe, something he has never been since that Halloween night. We could have all been happy instead of two of us dead and the rest of us alone. We were as close as brothers, closer than brothers. You took that away from us, you caused the death of two of our friends and ruined the lives of four more. Harry has requested that you be given a life sentence instead of the death you deserve and I will honour his request. I just hope that you think of what could have been had you remained loyal to your friends." With a sigh, Sirius sat down and gave Harry a one armed hug.

After the two wizards had each finished their speeches, there was not a dry eye in the court room. Everyone was stunned by the apparent forgiveness of the two raven haired wizards. Both of them had suffered so much because of the man sitting in the witness chair, yet there was very little condemnation in their voices, just remorse for the friendship that had been lost.

When no one else rose to say anything, the Wizengamot held a quick conversation amongst themselves before Dumbledore once more rose and started, "This noble gathering of the Wizengamot has, after careful review, decided to uphold the wishes of both Mr. Black and Mr. Potter as the head of two of the leading Wizarding families and is sentencing you to life in Azkaban. May Merlin have pity on your soul as these two do."

The court watched as a whimpering Peter Pettigrew was led out of dungeon 10 between two dementors and transported to a high security cell with an anti-animagus ward on it in Azkaban, where he would live out the rest of his life.

12 Grimmauld Place was silent save the wretched house elf Kreacher and a boy of fourteen who was once again dreaming and tossing in his bed. Harry Potter seemed to be immune to good dreams, as all of his dreams centered around the cruelness of the world but then again what does one expect when the world only holds evil for you.

The teen was once again emerged in one such dream and even though the setting was different, the outcome was sure to be the same, he would wake and there would be no one there to comfort him.

_It was dark, so dark and there was mist all around his ankles and he kept stumbling, but he had to keep going, the voice was calling him, someone needed his help. With his black hair blowing from both the wind and his mad running the boy kept pushing himself further into the woods, towards the voice._

_"Don't leave me," Harry sobbed as he ran. "Please, Sirius, don't leave me. You're all I have left."_

_"Then help him, boy," a hissing voice could be heard. "Save the mutt if you are strong enough."_

_Harry continued running blindly, following the voice, not caring where he was going nor how he got there. All he knew was that he had to reach Sirius before it was too late, before he was gone forever. An inhuman scream rang through the forest, one filled with pain as though someone had been placed under the Cruciatous Curse and Harry ran harder toward the scream. "Please be alright," Harry begged to the unknown screamer. "I'm coming for you, I will find you."_

_Harry pushed on deeper and deeper into the forest as the branches scratched at his face, arms and legs - towards that voice. As Harry reached a clearing, a house came into view as the clouds parted revealing the almost full moon, he had to save his godfather and surrogate uncle before the next night, before the moon was full. As Harry looked around the clearing he noticed a monument of sorts and gasped at the form laying on it._

_Black hair that would normally hang to the shoulders was now matted with blood and eyes that were grey and so full of humour that not even Azkaban could tame were now dull as they turned to look at Harry. The figure on the monument was that of his godfather and he was so close to death that it made Harry want to sob. As Sirius took his last breath he muttered his final words, "You could not save me. How do you expect to save the world? You left me to die here and didn't even come for me." As Sirius shut his eyes and took his last breaths Harry let tears fall from his eyes._

_"I tried, Sirius," Harry sobbed into his now dead godfathers shoulder. "I tried to get to you, I wanted to save you."_

Sirius Black was jolted out of his peaceful slumber to the sound of his godson sobbing in his room on the second floor. Sirius bolted out of his bed and grabbed a gold bathrobe to throw over his half naked body and ran to his godson's room, hoping that this time he would be able to help Harry. That this nightmare was not like the one from the previous night.

Remus Lupin was brought out of his slumber as Sirius raced past his door and understanding dawned on the werewolf. He gently nudged the purple haired female next to him as he grabbed his scarlet robe and threw it over his pajama bottom clad body. "Nymph, go get your dad," Remus instructed softly rather unsure if Ted Tonks would be needed but wanting to be prepared if he was. "Harry has had another nightmare and Sirius is going to check on him as am I."

The metamorphmagus quickly woke and jumped out of bed, stubbing her toe in the process but able to grab her robe before she hit the ground. Remus smiled at the younger witch as he exited the room, it was times like this that reminded him why he loved her.

Remus entered the dark room that belonged to Harry to find the boy clinging to his godfather as if his life depended on it. Slowly he entered the room, unsure if he really wanted to disturb the duo. "I tried, I really did," Harry sobbed into Sirius' chest. The sound of Harry's broken voice decided it for Remus; he could not turn away from the boy now, not when he needed them as much as he did.

The decision made, Remus stepped further into the room and cast a small lumos to provide some light as he squatted in front of the pair on the bed and rubbed soothing circles along Harry's back while Sirius ran his hand through the boys raven locks, murmuring comforting sounds.

"I wasn't fast enough," Harry moaned with tears running down his cheeks. "I wasn't fast enough and you left me."

"I'll never leave you, Harry, never," Sirius murmured sympathetically into the unruly mop of his godson's hair. "I'll always be here for you." Sirius knew he was making promises that he might not be able to keep, yet he could not stop himself - Harry needed to hear these words of comfort now, the consequences be damned. "Remus and I will always be here for you no mater what, you can always come to us."

Ted Tonks stood leaning against the door frame observing the scene as it played out silently, not wanting to interrupt but wanting to be there should his services be needed. When his daughter had stumbled - quite literally - into their room and said that Harry had a nightmare Ted had run to Harry's room expecting a scene like last night. However what he saw was almost the opposite from the previous night. Harry, instead of trying to get away from Sirius and Remus, was craving their touch and reassurance. Ted stayed to watch the scene to its completion as the teen slowly regained his composure and drifted off to sleep in Sirius' arms, clutching the front of his robes in a fist.

"Sirius, I think he's asleep again and you can lay him back down," Remus muttered after several minutes shifting his aching knees and standing up.

Sirius simply nodded as he tried to lay Harry back down on the bed, yet when he went to take his arms out from under his godson, Harry whimpered and tightened his hold on Sirius' robe.

"It might be best to stay here for the rest of the night as morning is in a few hours," Ted stated from the doorway. "If I am interpreting what I saw correctly, this dream had something to do with both of you - more specifically - Sirius. What Harry needs right now is to be close to you Sirius, to be assured that you will not leave him with your presence as well as your words."

Sirius nodded his assent as he slid down into the bed still keeping Harry close to him but careful not to invade the teens personal space. He was reminded of how many times James and Remus had done this when they were in school and he had woken from one of his own nightmares. Sirius had never thought he would be doing this for Harry, after all James and Lily would never say or do anything that would haunt their son to the point of nightmares such as these. Yet, here he was with a distraught Harry in his arms, all because of someone they had trusted as a brother, someone who had betrayed them all to Voldemort when Harry was only a year old.

As Sirius settled himself and Harry, the other wizards went into the hallway and to their own beds. As Remus went past his door he noticed that Nymphadora was not the only one in the room, Emmaline had joined her as well.

"How is he?" Emmaline asked as Remus stepped into the room.

"Fine now," Remus stated going over to the bed. "Sirius is going to stay with him for the rest of the night. Harry, for some reason, thought that Sirius and I would leave him. We were finally able to calm him enough to go back to sleep. However he refused to let go of Sirius and we thought it best if Sirius stayed with him as did Ted." Remus ran a hand through his graying hair and tried to give the two witches a pleasant smile.

The two witches watched the werewolf walk across the room and gracefully sit on the bed, they knew that there was more to the story then Remus was telling them and they both wondered what it was. When Remus gave them a weak smile they both decided to drop the matter until a later time when they were all more awake and better able to deal with the situation. "I'll just go back to my room," Emmaline said, rising from the chair she had pulled over next to the bed. "If you need anything be sure to come and get me."

"Night, Em," Remus called as he started to remove his robe. "See you in a few hours."

The next morning Harry slowly woke to the sound of a heart beating under his ear and a hand running through his hair. At first Harry started to panic until he remembered the night before and where he was. He was safe here; his uncle could not touch him. Sirius and Remus would protect him and wouldn't let anyone hurt him. Harry opened his eyes to the sound of Sirius' soft murmurs of reassurance that he was all right and no one wanted to hurt him.

The animagus had woken a few minutes before and was reluctant to leave his godson until he woke even though Harry had loosened the grip on his robe. Harry looked so peaceful this morning with his dark eyelashes resting on his lightly tanned cheek. Sirius wanted to give his godson some peace even if it was only a few hours. The afternoon would find them once more at the ministry for yet another trial. The animagus wanted Harry to need him. He wanted to protect Harry from the world that was depending on his godson to save it.

"Morning, Harry," Sirius whispered as his godson stirred into a more comfortable position. "Are you feeling better this morning?"

"Much," Harry responded with a voice thick from sleep. "Sorry about last night." Harry was unsure of the need to apologize, all he knew was that he had disturbed Sirius', and at least Remus' slumber in the middle of the night with his dream. There were times that Harry wished he was able to use magic out of school just to cast a silencing charm during the night.

"Don't worry about it," Sirius replied moving to get out of the bed. "Come on or we might miss breakfast. Next to your mother, Andromeda is the best cook. Those two could put the house-elves to shame."

"And here I thought that you liked my cooking over Andy's," Emmaline muttered from the door frame. Emmaline had been passing the door to Harry's room and could not resist sneaking a peak into the room as Sirius was complementing his cousins cooking. "After all it was Lily who taught me to cook. Harry obviously must have inherited some of her skill as those pancakes yesterday were the best I have had in years. Wouldn't you agree?"

"Yes I would," Sirius responded blushing. "I can't remember the last time I had anything that even tasted remotely so good." Sirius now on his feet and he reached down a hand towards Harry to help him up. "We will leave you to get dressed and meet you downstairs in the kitchen."

Will I have Sirius go to school as the DADA teacher or have him go back to the Auror ranks? Or maybe both? The choice is yours my lovelies. Please leave feed back.


	10. Chapter 10

Edited by charmedchick.

**Chapter 10**

After Harry dressed for the day he walked down to the kitchen with a slightly heavy heart; the dream of the night before was coming back along with the fear that Sirius was going to get hurt, simply because he cared about Harry.

The aromatic smell of scrambled eggs greeted Harry as he opened the door to the kitchen of #12 Grimmauld Place and the conversation that the adults were having suddenly quieted as if they were guilty of plotting something and did not want the young hero to know what it was.

The fact that this was not a false belief was not lost on the teen as he sat down and glanced around the room full of guilty faces, something was obviously up and he was the subject of whatever it was. "Did I interrupt something?" Harry asked with a smile as the adults turned to face him. "Or maybe I forgot to button a few buttons?" The humour in Harry's voice at the last statement was not lost on any of the adults and they all broke into a soft chuckle.

"Actually, Harry, you have buttoned all of your buttons," Remus replied from his spot between both Nymphadora and Sirius. "We were discussing the trial that is set for later today." Remus was unsure if the youth would buy this excuse but did not want to ruin the surprise that Sirius wanted so dearly to keep secret. The two of them had had so little chance to relax and have fun, so this party was one thing that Remus desperately wanted to keep secret.

"I see," Harry nodded as he turned to the food that Andromeda had placed in front of him. Harry really did not want to think about the next trial nor of his relatives. All Harry really wanted to do was relax and enjoy the time he had with Sirius and Remus before he had to go back to school.

Those gathered in the kitchen all turned to their meals and started eating only to be interrupted by the arrival of the 'Daily Prophet', much to everyone's surprise since none of them subscribed to the paper, nor should the papers owl be able to find them. On closer inspection, Remus pointed out the gold medallion that bore the Hogwarts crest around the owl's leg as he removed the owl of its burden. Remus unfolded the paper as Sirius offered the owl some of the bacon that Andromeda had fried and gasped at the front page.

**Pettigrew Found; Black Innocent**

_In a surprising turn of events yesterday Sirius Black, the only wizard to escape Azkaban prison, was found innocent of all charges. Black spent twelve years in prison on charges of being a Death Eater and a supporter of You- Know-Who, known as Death Eaters. He was also charged with the murder of twelve muggles and the death of one of his school friends, Peter Pettigrew._

_Yesterday afternoon Black turned himself in to his cousin Nymphadora Tonks. He stood trial for his numerous offences against the Wizarding World. In a surprising turn of events the Wizengamot found Black innocent and turned the custody of Harry James Potter, The Boy Who Lived, over to him._

_In an afternoon gathering of the Wizengamot, Peter Pettigrew, assumed dead for the last fourteen years, was found guilty of the crimes Black had spent twelve years in prison for. After appeals from both Potter and Black the Wizengamot sentenced Pettigrew to life in prison._

_Chief Wizengamot and Headmaster of Hogwarts, Professor Dumbledore had these words to say after he handed down Pettigrew's sentence, _"_May Merlin have pity on your soul as these two do_."

_Let us all hope that Potter and Black now find the happiness with each other that they were denied for so long._

After reading the paper Remus handed it over to Ted Tonks with a smile firmly on his face. Sirius was free and now the whole of Wizarding Britain would know. Remus, however, was also concerned that the press would now be even more interested in both his best friend and the child of his deceased friend which neither one wanted nor needed at this time.

-----------------------------

Later that day they all apparated, Harry side along with Sirius, to a deserted alley with a rundown phone booth that would take them all to the interior of the Ministry building. As the group entered the bowels of the ministry building they were assaulted by several reporters from various Wizarding newspapers and magazines. Seeing the group the reporters pushed in and started talking over each other, all trying to get the attention of at least one person in the group.

As the crowd pressed in, Harry started to shake and his vision began to cloud over as he felt the beginnings of a panic attack coming on. The adults, who had surrounded Harry, so as to offer protection from the reporters and photographers, did not notice his distress until his voice rang across the atrium, "Please, leave me alone. I'll be good I promise."

Hearing Harry's distressed voice Sirius turned to his godson and, taking in the paleness of his skin, shot off several gold sparks in quick succession, using the old summoning alarm of the Aurors. Almost immediately several Aurors appeared in the Atrium to help hold off the reporters and the photographers and the group was finally able to get to the private court room for the trial of the Dursleys.

Even after all his years in Azkaban, Sirius had not forgotten the signal; and though he had thought he would never need to use it again he was pleasantly impressed that the signal still worked so well. Sirius had wondered if the Aurors would have changed it after his imprisonment since it had been a signal that he and James had developed during their training. After observing how it worked and what it was used for, the signal had quickly been adapted by the whole of the corp.

As they stepped into the room Remus held a hand out to momentarily delay Ted and Andromeda and asked them quietly, "Do either of you have a calming drought that Harry can take?"

Ted and Andromeda glanced at the distressed teen who was currently clinging to his godfathers arm as if it was a life line and then at the equally distressed and protective werewolf.

"I wish I could give him something," Ted returned with a sympathetic smile. "However, in cases such as these they are not allowed before the trial. However, after the trial I have one that Severus made for him. If you and Sirius would like a calming drought before the trial I can give each of you one but unfortunately Harry can't have one."

As Remus nodded and continued into the room, he noticed Harry sitting at one of the tables with Sirius next to him murmuring reassurances softly in his ear.

"We are all here for you Harry," Sirius whispered reassuringly. "You are not alone in any of this, we will not leave you. The Dursleys can never hurt you again, Remus and I will never let them, I promise. You will never be alone again."

Harry nodded as he kept peering unseeingly at the long table where members of the Wizengamot would sit; tears running down his pale face. As much as Harry wanted to believe Sirius, he had a hard time believing that they would never leave him. Harry believed that he would always be alone and no one would ever love him.

Sirius once again found himself wishing he had James' natural talent for this. James would have known what to say to relax Harry, James had never failed to bring the light back in to the room. Sirius thought that he was seriously lacking in the area and had no idea how to help his godson.

Harry sat at the table lost in thought, not really listening to what his godfather was telling him. The teen felt suffocated in the large room with just his godfather, Remus and the Tonks family in the room and if this was how he felt now, how would he feel once everyone arrived?

-----------------------------

Soon seven members of the Wizengamot walked in to the private Court room, their black robes billowing behind them. True to form, Albus Dumbledore - though wearing a black robe - looked out of place with bright colours intertwined in the material of his robe. The red, purple and gold firework outline of a dragon would not have worked on very many wizards; the ancient wizard was however able to pull it off with spectacular ease.

"We are here to hear the case of Vernon , Petunia and Dudley Dursley - are all those needed present?" Dumbledore asked when everyone in the room quieted. As murmurs of 'we are' went through the room, Dumbledore looked toward the table were Harry and Andromeda sat across the aisle from the table occupied by the Dursley family.

Dumbledore was once again assaulted with remorse at all the abuse he and the rest of his staff had missed. How was it possible that things had managed to get this far without any of them seeing it? Could all of this have started recently or had Harry been hiding it from them for the past four years?

"Mr. Potter, after careful consideration and council with both Councilors Tonks' it has been decided that the utilization of a Pensieve would be the best option," an elderly member of the council declared from his position at Dumbledore's right. "Do you consent?"

Harry visibly blanched at the thought of all his memories being shown to them with the use of a Pensieve; could he survive this? Why couldn't they use Veritaserum? Surely Sirius or Remus would object to such a thing – but when no objection came from his godfather or his father's friend Harry nodded his head stiffly, afraid his voice would betray him.

One of the Aurors stepped forward and removed several silver strands from Harry's temple and placed them in a stone basin with runes etched along the sides and rim. "As a precaution, we have placed several charms to ensure the validity of the images that you will see," the elderly wizard stated as the silvery strands were being placed in the Pensieve. "Know that everything you will see has actually happened and been experienced; none of these images could be made worse or better."

Dumbledore rose from the middle of the long table and muttered a few words as he waved his wand in an arc over the room and a transparent screen appeared over the pensieve. "At anytime during this session any of you, not including those accused or the defendant, need to leave you are free to do so. After the viewing we will be hearing testimony from those involved."

With another wave of Dumbledore's wand, the first images began to appear.

----------Pensieve Memory-----------

_It was getting dark and there was rain falling as a small boy sat on the back step of a two story house surrounded by equally ordinary looking houses with silent tears running down his dirty face. Inside the house, voices of celebration could be heard._

_"It's a good thing that freak is outside," a gruff male voice was heard thundering from inside. "Our little Dudders doesn't need the freak ruining his birthday party."_

_"No, he doesn't," A feminine voice agreed. "The ungrateful freak ruined the first cake this morning and I had to have him make another one, then he didn't make the ice cream right so we had to go to the store and buy some. Why can't he do anything right?"_

_The sound of a door opening behind him brought the boys head up as he quickly wiped the tears away. A whale of a man could be seen towering over the boy with a look of pure hatred on his face. The man roughly grabbed the boy and dragged him into the woodshed. "So you tried to ruin the party did you, boy?" the man stormed, shutting the door and removing his belt._

_After hitting the boy several times and leaving angry red gashes on the back, the adult left through the door throwing over his shoulder nastily, "Get this cleaned up, and then stay here until someone comes for you."_

_"Yes, uncle," the boy whispered, crawling along the floor, looking for a rag before giving up and tearing a section of the tattered shirt that he was wearing off, revealing several gashes in different stages of healing."_

----------End Pensieve Memory 1----------

The image faded and the lights in the Court room came on to reveal several tear faced wizards and three smiling muggles. "When was this?" a brunette witch asked from the end of the table. "From the looks of it Harry could not have been more then three."

"The freak was five," Petunia said smirking. "Old enough to make a cake and ice cream. He ruined it on purpose and he got what he deserved."

"You made a five year old use the oven?" the same witch asked incredulously. "Wasn't that a tad dangerous? He could have been seriously injured."

"We took him in; it was the least he could do," Vernon stormed.

"Enough," Dumbledore thundered as he waved his wand and the lights dimmed.

Pensieve Memory 2

_A slightly older boy with black messy hair was huddled in a corner supporting an obviously broken arm and rocking back and forth. The room was so small that if the boy stood up he would surely hit his head. There was a crib mattress on the floor; the only indication that someone stayed there. The ceiling was slanted, making an angle to the floor as if the boards were covering a slanted area. The only light in the room came from where the door and the floor joined._

_The thin beam of light started to grow larger as the door was opened and a horse faced women glared into the room. "Do the dishes and get yourself to school," the women screeched. "I don't want to hear of any trouble today or what you got last night will seem like nothing at all in comparison."_

_"Yes, ma'am," the boy responded meekly, getting up from the corner and heading into the kitchen were the whale of a man sat at the table with a very heavy boy enjoying a meal of eggs and pancakes with bacon. "Don't even think of taking any of the food," the man ordered around a mouth full of egg, the yolk leaking from a corner of his mouth._

_"Look what you did to your uncle," the women screamed hitting the boy over the head with a frying pan. "Get over there and clean off his face."_

_"Yes, ma'am," the boy mumbled slowly walking over to his uncle with his eyes toward the floor._

_As the boy neared the table the man reached out and pulled the boy onto his lap roughly and placed the child on his lap straddling him. The man leaned towards the boy so there faces were touching and ran his free hand along the inside of the boys legs. "Well boy, get to it," the man hissed with a smile._

_The small boy slowly brought their lips together and started to lick the yolk off the older mans lips and face with his tongue. The groaning of the man could be heard as it got louder and louder. The man's hand could be seen running along the boy's inner thigh getting closer and closer to his groin._

_When the boy finished cleaning the mans, face the adult pushed the boy across his lap almost double and started to unsnap the boys pants before roughly turning him over, exposing the boys bare bottom. The man grabbed the wooden spoon from the eggs and brought it down across the boys much abused flesh several times causing several of the scabbed over marks to start bleeding again as the boy bit his lower lip in an effort not to cry._

_"You were told that you weren't allowed to eat for the rest of the week!" the man yelled with each swing. "Now I will have to extend it to the middle of next week. Is that what you want?"_

_"N-No, sir," the boy sobbed through his tears. "Please, u-uncle. I'm s-sorry I swallowed it i-instead of you. P-please don't extend it any l-longer. I'll be good. I p-promise. I'll l-let you do w-whatever you want t-to me when I g-get home from s-school, I'll e-even stay h-home from school t-today and let you d-do it now."_

_The man smirked as he rose from the table, pulling the boy by his broken arm behind him as he moved out of the kitchen and toward the stairs. The door to the cupboard under the stairs stood open as testimony to where the boy had slept. As the two passed it, the man pushed the door shut and threw the boy against the closed door. "You will not say anything in school today," the man ordered as he roughly tugged the boy's pants up and ran his hand through the boy's messy black hair. "After school you will do the dishes for your aunt and then you will give her whatever she wants." _

_The boy nodded his head in agreement as his face took on a look of fear at the thought of what his aunt might want from him after school._

---------End Pensieve Memory 2----------

The images faded to the gasps of many of the people in the room. Remus was tightly holding onto a very agitated Sirius as Ted held Remus back with a firm grip on his shoulder. Ted reached in to his robe pocket and brought out two vials of a pale green substance and handed them to the other two wizards with a nod

"In light of what we have just viewed we will take a short recess and discuss the need for further viewing," a middle aged witch with blue hair declared from the edge of the table. The witch had tears glittering in the corner of her eyes and a sad expression on her face. "The Aurors will please escort the accused to holding cells."

Sirius walked over to Harry as three Aurors moved in on the Dursleys and took them to a holding cell during the recess. He squatted down so he could look the boy in the eye. "Harry, you are doing great," the animagus soothingly commended the teen. "It's almost over, and then we will go home and relax. Remember after this is done you will never have to see them again, they will never be able to hurt you, I swear to you."

"I'm scared," Harry admitted in a whisper as tears ran down his face. "I can stand up to Voldemort... but not to them."

Sirius' heart broke at the defeat heard in Harry's voice; this boy had stood up to Voldemort and brought back his dead classmates body without ever sounding this defeated. At that moment Sirius hated those Muggles more then anyone else for putting the defeat in his godson's voice. Sirius pulled his godson into his arms and started rubbing his back trying to comfort him. This was one of those times when words were not enough.

The monster that dared call himself a human; who was supposed to protect Harry had abused the boy over and over again from such a young age. Sirius had known of the abuse from the beginning of the summer but had hoped that it had just started however from the looks of the last memory it had been going on for a while. "When was the last memory?" Sirius asked quietly while hugging his godson.

"The Fall before my letter came," Harry responded. "I was so excited when I finally got my letter; I was getting out."

Sirius couldn't believe it. Harry had been ten during the last memory, there was no reason for a ten year old to have to give an adult sexual favours of any kind. What must Lily and James think of him, abandoning their little boy and letting him go to those monsters.

-----------------------

The members of the Wizengamot re-entered the private room with grim faces as the Dursleys were led in and deposited back in their seats, screaming how the freak got what he deserved and should have gotten more.

"In light of the last memory," Dumbledore started solemnly, "We have determined that no more memories need to be viewed. We will now be taking testimony. First, we will hear testimony from the Dursleys as they are being so vocal, unless they object; that is."

Andromeda Tonks rose from her seat and looked toward the Dursleys with a slight smile; she both hated and loved this part of her job. "Mr. Vernon Dursley, did you ever hit Mr. Potter with the intent to cause him harm?"

"Yes I did," Vernon sneered self righteously. "He was a lazy child that does not deserve to live much less contaminate my son."

"Did you ever hit Mr. Potter with anything other then your hand?"

"All the time," Vernon answered with a smile. "The freak deserved that and a lot more."

"Did you ever force Mr. Potter to perform sexual favours for you or any of your family?" This was the part of the questioning that Andromeda was dreading and it was also the most important one.

"Yes, it was the only thing he was ever any good at. We all took pleasure from him."

Andromeda turned sad eyes toward Harry, silently judging the effect this line of questioning was having on the boy. Noticing the tear filled eyes, she glanced to her husband and cousin and gave a slight inclination of her head signaling to them to join Harry. It was a signal that Andromeda and Ted used regularly in many situations.

Sirius was thankful for the Calming Drought that Ted had given him as Vernon testified; he knew that if he hadn't taken the potion he would have gladly inflicted bodily harm to the stupid muggle. When Andromeda gave the signal Sirius jumped from his spot and went up to his godson, immediately wrapping him in a tight protective hug while Ted sat in the chair that Andromeda had vacated at the beginning of the questioning.

Andromeda questioned the remaining two Dursleys in the same fashion before she called Remus up to the stand. "You went to Mr. Potter's house the night he was removed, did you not?"

"Yes I did," Remus answered. "Professor Dumbledore called me to his office and requested that I go and get Harry's things from his relatives."

"And what did you find when you were there?"

"The walls in the room that I found Harry's things in were covered in blood as was the bed. The bed also had chains on the posts and the room smelled strongly of sex. There were also many whips and belts all covered in blood."

"Do you know if it was Mr. Potter's blood?"

"It smelled as if it was his room, his scent was strongest there. The wolf in me noticed Harry's scent right away even masked as it was by the other scents."

"Did you happen to see Mr. Potter at any point that night?"

"Yes, I did," Remus stated with sad eyes. "After I returned from the Dursleys house I went to the Hospital Wing immediately to see Harry."

"And how was he when you saw him?"

"By that time Madam Pomfrey was able to heal most of the physical injuries. However there were still several bruises and scars that Pomfrey was unable to heal; as there were too many potions and healing spells in his body. Harry was lying in one of the hospital beds sleeping fitfully and calling out for someone to stop."

Andromeda asked Remus a few more questions before she excused him and turned to the Wizengamot members. "With the testimony presented here and the memories viewed it is my wish that you find in favour of my client, Mr Potter. There is nothing we can do to take a way the pain that he has suffered but it is my hope that finding the accused guilty will help him start to heal."

The members of the Wizengamot rose as Andromeda finished her plea and huddled together in a far corner for a few minutes, occasionally glancing at the three muggles sitting behind the other table. There was much to consider here - they were muggles and this meant that there were few places to put them. The wizarding world did not have very many prisons that were fit for muggles. They could not put the three in Azkaban nor did they want to have to incarcerate a fifteen year old. But the severity of the crimes all three of them had committed screamed for some form of justice.

After several intense minutes of deliberation the seven members of the council returned to the table and sat down to deliver their verdict and the sentence they had arrived at.

"We, the members of this council, have come to a verdict," Dumbledore said from his seat in the middle of the table. " Vernon , Petunia and Dudley Dursley, we find you all guilty of abuse and endangering the life of Harry James Potter. Vernon and Petunia Dursley you are sentenced to ten years in the custody of Merriweather Prison, a medium security Wizarding Prison for Muggles, while Dudley Dursley; having taken into account your age, will be sent to the juvenile equivalent of Merriweather, Darksmith Correction Centre. While you are there you will be attending counseling sessions as well as correspondence classes so your education will not be interrupted. You will stay there until you are eighteen at which time we will determine if you are ready to be integrated back into society."

"The Court has further determined that it would be beneficial for Harry James Potter to seek the help of a Councilor as agreed upon in the ruling yesterday. This court is now adjourned."

As the members of the Council were leaving and the Aurors were leading the Dursleys a way to their new homes, Dumbledore approached Harry, Sirius and the Tonks family. "Sirius, a word if I may. You too, Remus," Dumbledore added as the werewolf made his way to the front of the room.

When the two wizards nodded, Dumbledore led them to a corner of the room not too far from where Harry remained seated being comforted by both Andromeda and Nymphadora. "Harry is going to need you both," Albus began, the twinkle that had been absent through the proceedings making itself known once more. "I have been tossing ideas to keep the three of you together through my head since yesterday and believe I have come up with a solution. I find myself in need of two professors and would like the two of you to join the staff. Now, Remus, I met with the Minister earlier this morning and with a few extra precautions there is no reason that you can not teach once more."

"To that end I will request that Sirius accompany you on the night of the full moon as well as you taking the Wolfsbane Potion," Dumbledore continued. "We will also be setting up a network of sorts that will ensure that you take the potion; Poppy will have extra on hand should Severus be unable to brew it. With these precautions in place there should not be a repeat of the events of a little over a year a go."

"It is my belief that this would be the best solution since as Professors you both will be able to see Harry as often as you want and as Order Members you will be protecting the school."

"What positions, sir?" Remus asked this was what he had always wanted, he had always wanted to teach; however, being a werewolf had stopped him at every turn. Two years ago, when Dumbledore had offered him the DADA position he had jumped at the chance; but then the fiasco at the end of the year had happened and Remus was sure his dream had died its last death. That he would never again get to teach.

"Remus, I would like you to be the new Muggle Studies Professor, I seem to recall that you and Lily both had the highest scores in your class. Sirius, as you have proven time and time again you are a survivor and it is my belief that because of that you would make a brilliant addition as the new DADA Professor. Your skill as an Auror has only been duplicated or surpassed by two others, both of whom you worked with."

Sirius eyes began to tear up at the reference to his old friend and partner and that of his mentor. He and James had spent many late nights debating what they would do once Harry started Hogwarts. In those late night talks they had thrown around the idea of one taking over as the DADA professor just to be close to Harry and to protect him. Even back then Sirius had been protective of his pup, the youngest member of their pack. Right now, he knew his pup needed him more then any other time and he was torn as to what to do. He wanted to be there for Harry but he also knew that with the war going in there was a great need for more Aurors.

"I believe, gentlemen," Dumbledore broke into both of their musings. "That there are guests waiting for you." With his usual flourish Dumbledore left the room.

---------------------------

A/N: Next chapter enter the Weasley's.


	11. Chapter 11

**I obviously don't own Harry Potter. If I did I would be rich, famous, and Sirius Black would never have been murdered.**

Chapter 11

At Grimmauld Place Molly Weasley was bustling around the kitchen getting things ready for the party while Ron and Hermione sat at the table waiting to be told what they were to do. An owl had arrived that morning asking that the Weasleys present themselves at a birthday party for Harry; it was to be a small affair. Molly had quickly moved into action and had started gathering the family together and baking a cake. Hermione, who had been at the Burrow, was also invited and the family had left for Head Quarters shortly after noon to get things set up.

Charlie was expected to arrive around dinner time from Romania for a few days as well and would be joining them at that time. The second Weasley child had been secretly spending a lot of time with the saviour of the wizarding world throughout the previous year. Charlie had watched the young seeker at the first task and resolved to help the younger wizard in anyway that he could.

Mrs. Weasley had been careful not to let the children know what was going on at the Ministry concerning Harry; she felt that Harry would let them know when he was ready. As the motherly women was putting the finishing touches on the cake, the door to the kitchen burst open revealing two smiling identical faces topped with reddish orange hair followed by a growling purple haired Potions Master.

Alerted by the noise Mrs. Weasley turned from her work with a slight smile until she took in the image of the Potions Professor. "Fred, George, What have you done?" the witch demanded the twins. "You turn his hair back right now or you will find yourselves cleaning the attic tomorrow the muggle way."

"But, Mum..." Fred began.

"We can't," George continued.

"It has to wear off," Fred supplied smiling at the furious look he was getting.

"It will take at least a day..."

"Maybe two."

"Then you best get a good nights sleep tonight, hadn't you," Molly Weasley continued turning back to the cake.

"Good evening to you, Molly," Severus muttered taking a seat at the table. "I take it that Harry hasn't arrived yet."

Molly was barely able to conceal her surprise when Severus called Harry by his given name instead of his surname, which had become his custom over the years. Molly however did much better at hiding her shock then the rest of the room did. Ron, in his shock, actually started choking on the strawberry he had just put in his mouth while the twins both stopped laughing and stared at the most hated professor at Hogwarts.

"Not yet, Severus," Molly replied from the counter. "I expect he should..."

Molly was interrupted by the sound of running footsteps on the floor above as Sirius followed by Remus entered the kitchen wearing twin expressions of remorse and shaking their heads. "Give him a little time," Albus muttered as he followed the duo into the kitchen. "Harry just needs a few minutes to compose himself before facing everybody."

"Maybe this wasn't such a good idea," Sirius whispered, taking a seat next to Hermione. Sirius had always been ready for a party; it always made him feel better. Harry, on the other hand, had been frantic when he noticed that Arthur Weasley was at the front door when they apparated into the alley and had run all the way into the house and up to his room.

"Arthur went to talk to him," Dumbeldore explained with the ever present twinkle. "Severus, how are you today?"

"Arthur may not be able to handle this," Severus muttered. "The calming draft should have taken care of his unease. The one I gave Ted was designed to act fast and be long lasting. Harry should never have been able to get worked up like he did."

"He will not talk to me," Arthur told the room as he entered. "He keeps saying that we all think that he is weak and must hate him."

Severus stood outside the door to Harry's room with a vial of pale blue liquid; both Sirius and Remus had informed him that Ted had not given Harry the potion after the trial - he had been called away on an emergency - when he had inquired about it. That left the task up to the foreboding Potions Master to administer the potion and check for any side affects. As the Professor stood outside the door he listened for any sounds of distress; years of spying had taught him the need of caution.

Hearing no sounds that would indicate a threat Severus opened the door to reveal a silently crying black haired teen tightly curled on the bed. "Harry, you need to take this," the Potions Master instructed holding the potion out to him. "It will make you feel better once you do."

"You think I'm weak like they do," Harry muttered reaching for the vial with a shaking hand. "At least you didn't have to see how I cowered to them, how I let them do whatever they wanted to me."

"No one thinks you're weak," the professor remarked, moving closer to the trembling boy. "You are in fact one of the strongest wizards of your age. You have been at the school for four years getting ready to start your fifth and you have tricked all of us those four years. A feat befitting a Slytherin even if I must say. Your own godfather was not able to hold out that long. From what the Head Master described the abuse your godfather suffered in this house was nothing to what you have suffered. You will remember that I was one of the ones to treat you and saw how you were brought in. Very few grown wizards could have survived that let alone a fourteen year old."

It was slightly unnerving for Severus to see the once confident young wizard feeling so weak. For the past four years he had watched the boy face off against the foulest of creatures and the Dark Lord without showing fear. Now that once confident boy was reduced to self doubt at the hands of those filthy muggles. Severus wished there was more that he could do for the boy. If it wasn't for the fact that they were in prison now he would gladly have gone and tortured them to within an inch of their lives. As far as Severus was concerned prison was too good for the likes of them.

While Severus had been talking Harry had taken the potion and was beginning to relax as he listened to the soft voice that held no contempt or malice. "Now, I do believe that there are people downstairs that wish to see you," Severus continued placing a hand gently on Harry's shoulder and leading him out of the room.

Harry wondered exactly what people his professor was talking about - true he had seen Mr. Weasley enter the house when they arrived but was there more? He really did not want to see anyone right now. All he wanted to do was wait until midnight so he could celebrate his birthday the same way he did every year; watching the clock until it struck midnight and wishing himself a happy birthday. Meeting people was not on the list of things that he wanted to do right now - why could he not be left alone?

As Harry followed the billowing form of the Potions Master obligingly down to the kitchen he heard several voices behind the door. It did not take long for Harry to recognize the voices of his two best friends and that of Mrs. Weasley.

Harry was about to turn around and run back up the stairs when Charlie Weasley appeared behind him through a door at the last landing. "So, Harry, how have you been?" Charlie asked, sending a dazzling smile toward the teen. "I got word that there was a party going on here and I just had to come and check it out. After all it is not everyday that one turns fifteen and has a party thrown in their honour now is it."

Harry blinked in surprise as the information began to sink in, party... fifteen... turning... were all the people in the kitchen there for him, were they celebrating his birthday a day early? All this seemed too good to be true and Harry's head began to swim. If it was true then maybe, just maybe he did not have to fear Sirius sending him away; unless, would Sirius do that after the party? Was that why he was celebrating early?

"Mr. Potter, I believe we have kept your guests waiting long enough," Snape instructed once again heading down the remaining two steps to the kitchen door.

As the kitchen door opened under the spy's hand a loud round of "Happy Birthday!" rang threw the room. At the sound Harry began to panic and would have fled had Charlie not been in the way and put a restraining hand on his shoulder. The act that was meant as comfort only served to startle the already panicked teen and Harry began shaking even more. "It will be alright, Harry," the red head whispered when Harry tensed. "I have told no one what I saw in that house. Ron and the twins want to see you as does mum. Do you believe me?"

When Harry nodded his head mutely Charlie continued to lead the boy into the room and to a spot at the far end of the table. The table was laden with food and beverages of all kinds and the occupants were careful not to raise their voices and startle the soon to be fifteen year old.

Harry sat in the spot Charlie had directed him to silently throughout the meal, glad for the comfort that Charlie provided sitting next to him. The fact that Charlie never moved far from Harry did not go unnoticed by either of the remaining Marauders nor the eldest Weasleys. By the time the meal was finished Harry was more relaxed and ready to join in on the conversations going on around him in the kitchen.

"So, Harry," Remus started with a smile. "What shall we do first - presents or cake? I hear Mrs. Weasley made a wonderful chocolate cake width strawberry ice cream."

Harry glanced at the clock in stunned silence, it was still four hours until midnight, would it be too much to ask if they waited for a few more hours for presents and cake? For some reason it did not seem right for him to make the others wait for cake and ice cream until midnight; however Harry really did not want to break with tradition and have the cake now. There was just too much that had changed over the last few weeks. It was Fred who saved Harry from making the decision when he declared that he was much too full to eat another bite.

Just as Fred made his exclamation the dirty dishes began to dance around the table and the Potion Masters purple hair began to pleat itself in small braids to the delight of Harry. Harry tried not to laugh at the sight of waltzing plates and a purple braided head professor but a small chuckle escaped which quickly escalated into an all out laugh.

When Harry started laughing Fred joined his twin in the prank and soon had Sirius; shoulder length locks in a multi-coloured bun and Remus sporting a neon blue necktie that tweeted like a bird. Molly Weasley, for her part, was mortified by her sons actions until Sirius pulled out his wand and levitated Fred into the air and started spinning him. Remus had George waltzing with the silverware and playing an imaginary violin.

"I do believe we should take this into the Sitting Room," Charlie stated rising from the table. "We can have cake later, perhaps around midnight. I'm sure that Harry would like to wait for a few hours before opening his gifts. In the mean time, I have the strongest desire to play a game of Exploding Snap or perhaps Wizard Monopoly. Sirius, didn't you mention that you had an old game lying around somewhere?"

Sirius did indeed have a few games stashed away in his room, he had hidden them there when he was in school and he had left the house in such a rush all those years ago that he had completely forgotten to grab them.

As loath as Sirius was to leave Fred and go get the board game; he lowered Fred and started up the stairs to his room promising to meet the others in the Sitting Room shortly. With both feet firmly on the ground Fred looked at his mother and was about to bolt for the door. Molly, however, seemed to have other ideas if the glare she was sending her son was any indication.

Noticing the look on his mothers face Charlie leaned over and whispered to Harry to come with him to look at a few pictures of the dragons he was working with while the others cleaned up the kitchen. As Harry started to gather his dishes Arthur gently chastised him that as the birthday boy he was not to help clean but have fun. Soon the adults had shooed Harry out of the kitchen to go look at pictures with Charlie.

"I think I will ju-" George started after he stopped dancing.

"You, young man, will help your brother clear the table," Mrs. Weasley scolded. "It was not enough that you changed Professor Snape's hair purple but you made the dishes dance on the table and prank two other adult wizards. Sirius is nice enough to invite us to his home to celebrate Harry's birthday and this is how you repay him."

Remus, the smart man that he was, knew his cue to leave and smartly took it motioning for Nymphadora and Emmaline to follow him. "I think we will go and help Sirius locate the game. If memory serves me correctly there are a few other board games in hiding."

Soon the only ones left in the kitchen were the younger four Weasleys and Hermione who were cleaning the kitchen under the watchful eye of Molly Weasley. "Why doesn't Charlie have to help?" Ron groaned as he carried a stack of plates over to the sink where Hermione was washing them.

"Because he is with Harry right now, dear," Mrs. Weasley replied watching the twins as they dried and put the dishes a way. "Besides, Charlie made a long trip to get here tonight and needs to relax."

Remus, Emmaline and Nymphadora found Sirius in his room pulling out a drawer in his night stand and shutting it half way before pulling it out two more times before shutting it completely and then turning the knob counter-clockwise. After the turn the night stand moved aside and a hidden door in the floor where it had stood opened up revealing several boxes and small trunks. "I wondered if it would still work," Sirius muttered to the others in the room. "Although it shouldn't have surprised me that it did. The room looked like it hasn't been touched since I left it all those years ago."

"You always told us that you had things hiding in a special place and we never thought to question you further," Remus began, "Is this what you meant? You had a hidden area in your floorboards. Did you do this or was it always here?"

"Great Uncle Randalph did it for me after I got sorted into Gryffindor," Sirius replied. "He figured mother and father wouldn't let me keep anything here so, one night when he was here, he charmed the night stand and floor for me to hide stuff in. Things I wanted to keep safe or didn't want them to get their hands on. If they knew that you guys were giving me games and such they would have taken them without a second thought."

Sirius rummaged through the boxes before he held up three with a smile. "Moony, remember when we made this game?" Sirius asked, opening the lid on one of the boxes revealing a board with the picture of Hogwarts in the center. "We never actually played it; we were going to let our kids have the pleasure before they went to Hogwarts. Think we should do it now?"

"Padfoot, that would be an excellent idea," Remus agreed taking out a small replica of a Lily and one of a stage. "Do you think the others will realize who these are though? Harry, Ron and Hermione already know but the twins don't."

"And that, my dear Moony, is the fun of it all," Sirius replied with a mischievous smile. "Around Hogwarts is a great game - they will love it." Sirius held up another box revealing a chess set made of ebony and ash wood; the face of a dog was etched into the glass on the lid. Wizard Monopoly was added to the pile as well as a few unmarked flat boxes.

"I think we've got everything," Sirius said as he scooted away from the hidey hole even though there were still a few boxes left inside. "We can get the rest later after the party. I think the rest of the stuff is just old pranks that you or James had copies of."

The two witches and two wizards made their way down to the Sitting Room where they found Charlie and Harry poring over wizarding photos sitting on one of the two green sofas in the room. "I really have to re-decorate," Sirius murmured taking in the dark walls and green curtains as well as the equally dark wood and green leather furniture. "A nice red and cream decor I think." Sirius raised his dark Aspen wand ready to cast the charm when Remus pulled his arm down.

"Not tonight, Padfoot," Remus whispered. "We can do it later when we have some help; remember last time you and Prongs tried redecorating alone."

Sirius reluctantly pocketed his wand and walked into the room to wait for the rest of the guests, wondering what had happened to Albus and Severus. Remus said that the wizards had left the kitchen shortly before the other three but they were not in the Sitting Room with Charlie and Harry. "There you are," Dumbledore exclaimed from behind the four adults. "It would seem that whatever the twins did to Professor Snape will indeed have to wear off as I was unable to remove the charm. A glamour charm was even rendered useless, it seems to be a combination of the glamour potion and identity altering charm. Both of which have to run there course."

Remus looked over his shoulder to see that Severus was once again sporting his usual hair style though it was still purple. "As much as I hate to admit it," Severus began with a sneer. "The twins are not complete dunderheads. If they would show such aptitude in class they would indeed do much better."

Harry looked up from the pictures he and Charlie were looking at with a slight smile on his face when the group of six adults entered the room. Harry's bright eyes landed on the boxes that Sirius was carrying before he rose from the couch; handing the pictures back to Charlie before walking over to his godfather and reaching for the boxes. "May I help you?" Harry asked hesitantly holding out his arms for the boxes. "What kind of games do you have?"

Taken aback by Harry's offer, Sirius mutely handed the young wizard the games and ruffled his hair with a smile. It was nice to see Harry so at ease for the moment, the party may still be salvageable after all. Sirius, followed by the other adults, entered the sitting room and proceeded to the bar were he and Remus transfigured some glasses into pitchers. The two Marauders filled the pitchers with punch and placed glasses onto the bar. They also found several bags of crisps that one or the other had hidden in the cupboard during the summer.

When the witches and wizards from the kitchen entered the Sitting Room, Sirius and Remus went about setting the games up. In a far corner there was a chess table that Ron spotted right away and was able to convince Hermione to play a game with him after Remus had placed the chess pieces on the board. Harry and Charlie joined Remus, Sirius and the twins in a game of Wizard Monopoly while the others looked on.

As Harry was collecting money from Sirius after he had landed on Gringotts for the fourth time that night the Grandfather clock in the room started to strike midnight. "Happy Birthday, Harry," Harry muttered to himself as a frown started to take over his face.

The rest of the room noticed the slight change, though none of them knew why it had occurred but they responded with a gleeful round of 'happy birthday, Harry' of their own. "I think now would be a good time for some cake," Charlie exclaimed as he pulled Harry up from the floor. "The birthday boy always gets the first piece you know, Harry. Now who should we get to give you your birthday kiss?"

At the mention of cake the whole room jumped to their feet and started heading down to the kitchen leaving Charlie and Harry alone. "Do I really have to have a birthday kiss?" Harry asked apprehensively, no one had ever mentioned birthday kisses to him. In fact, he couldn't remember any of the Gryffindors that had celebrated their birthday's during the school year getting a kiss. Although if Harry was honest with himself a kiss from Charlie would not be that bad as he could trust Charlie not to hurt him.

"Only if you are a Weasley," Charlie amended. "Since you are an honorary member of the family, tradition dictates that on your fifteenth birthday a member of the family must give you a kiss. Does it worry you, the kiss?"

Harry mutely shook his head and turned his face up to Charlie to receive the promised kiss. Charlie smiled and leaned down, brushing his lips lightly over Harry's with a smile. "We better get down there before they send someone up to retrieve the birthday boy," Charlie stated as he led Harry by the hand down the stairs. "Imagine what everyone would say. First you make them wait until after midnight then you don't even come down for cake," Charlie said smiling as he opened the door to the kitchen and ruffled Harry's hair as they entered.

"Look who the cat dragged down," Remus said as he was getting plates out of the cabinet. "If you two didn't show up pretty soon Sirius and Emmaline were going to go find you and drag you down. Molly has her shirt all a ruffle about the time as it is. She thinks Ginny and Ron should have been in bed hours ago."

"I am not tired," Ginny mumbled, trying to stifle a yawn from her spot at the table. "Besides, we still have presents that need to be opened."

"I think we can do that in the morning," Dumbledore replied from a corner. "I think after cake I will head back to the castle for some rest. You, Miss Weasley, may not be tired but old folks like myself do need to get some sleep after all."

The group started eating the wonderful cake that Molly had painstakingly baked that morning - Ron stuffing his face like always and Harry taking small bites with a guarded look.

Noticing Harry's look, Charlie playfully reached over with a fork full of the cake topped with a large strawberry and held it up to Harry's mouth. "Open up, Harry," Charlie instructed. "I would hate to see this wonderful bit go to waste. I think I got the best piece and I just could not live with myself if you did not get to share some of it with me."

Obediently Harry opened his mouth accepting the bite that Charlie was offering and licked the cream from his lips tentatively; it really was a good cake. However Harry was still wondering what he would have to give in return for the cake.

After everyone was finished with their cake Dumbledore excused himself and headed to the door with a promise to return later for the opening of the presents with Severus right at his heals. With the departure of the Potions Master and Headmaster Charlie looked over to Harry who was fighting to keep his eyes open. "I do believe that the guest of honor is getting a little tired," Charlie exclaimed standing up. "I think I will help him to his room and see the rest of you later. I bid you good night or morning which ever you may choose." Without further comment Charlie reached down and picked up a half-asleep Harry and carried him to his room.

Sirius, who had just finished his own cake and ice cream, noticed the gentleness that Charlie used and could not help but wonder what was going on with the two younger men. Sirius excused himself stating that he wanted to check in on Harry and left to follow the two younger wizards.

"Charlie, we need to talk," Sirius whispered from the shadows he had hidden himself in to wait for the young man to come out of his godson's room.


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: For my part I am not JK nor would I think that I would want to be; for with fame comes scrutiny and I believe that I can get enough of that on Fan fiction. In short I am making no money from this story.

A/N: I am sorry to those that have waited so long for this chapter. Several RL issues came up and I lost the mother board on my computer- with it this story . I must also admit that it almost seemed as if people were not too pleased with it; however, thanks to some new readers/ reviewers I am back and will try to keep writing this story. Before I go any further let me again stress that this is not a slash fic. When I was growing up it was not uncommon for a family member or close friend to kiss especially on a birthday or other occasion. I have tried to pick up where I left off; as I said I lost everything with the mother board. Without further ado on with the story.

Last time: "Charlie, we need to talk," Sirius whispered from the shadows he had hidden himself in to wait for the young man to come out of his godson's room.

As Charlie stepped out of Harry's room he found himself shoved face first into the opposite wall with a snarling Sirius behind him. Startled Charlie at first tried to resist the older wizards grasp but soon calmed down as realization hit him. In all honesty he could not blame Sirius for his reaction... In all honesty he would have reacted the same way if he were in Sirius shoes.

"Sirius," Charlie began hesitantly, " You have every right to be upset, I would be too. However, it is not the way you think it is. I would never hurt Harry more then he already has been."

Sirius for his part was not calmed by Charlie's words nothing he said as of yet explained his actions and Sirius wanted answers not this. He did not want to be calmed down with words of understanding; his godson had been hurt and here was someone that from the looks of things had played a major part in hurting Harry. He had trusted the Weasley family – all of them – and did not want to believe that any of them would have a hand in hurting Harry.

"Sirius, you have to believe me," Charlie muttered with his face still pressed to the wall and arm bent behind his back. "At least let me explain what was going on tonight and my involvement in ti. Then if you wish I will never speak to Harry again – though I would suggest that you do not make that decision. Harry is and since mum and Ron meet him at the train depot has been like a little brother to me."

"I admit that what I did or rather what I did not do was wrong. I should have been more active in my support to Harry. However, at the time I thought I was doing the right thing. Please, can we go some where else and talk about this. The longer we stay here the bigger the risk we run of Harry hearing us and getting upset."

Sirius grudgingly let Charlie go and lead the way into the sitting room – he wanted answers and he wanted them now however he did not want to upset his godson anymore then he already had. "Well," Sirius growled as he sat in one of the arm chairs. "Start trying to convince me why I should not throw you out of my house right now."

Charlie took in a deep breath and exhaled slowly trying to calm his quacking nerves. There was no doubt in Charlie's mind that he only had one chance at this and he did not want to blow it. He could face off against the worst of the dragons without flinching... but staring at the enraged animagus in front of him gave him terrified him. Sirius very much resembled Padfoot at the moment. Fiercely loyal and protective of what was his to guard. How was he going to explain all that he had done or not done? How was he going to tell the dark haired wizard that he had known about the abuse to his godson – or that he knew some of it.

Taking a deep breath the dragon tamer jumped in to the story knowing that his continued friendship with Harry depended on it. He would do anything at the moment to keep his friendship with the younger boy; but he had promised the man before him that when he was done he would do as the older wizard wished even if he disagreed with his decision.

"Harry and I started to write back and forth after the First task last year," Charlie began as he paced the sitting room. "He desperately wanted an older friend and for whatever reason he choose me. At first we only talked about school and the Tri-Wizard tournament. He was very upset about the way the school had turned on him and wanted someone to understand his pain. He was afraid to confide too much in you for fear that the letters would be intercepted and he did not want to talk about his fears in front of Ron and Hermione."

"Even when Harry is hurting his first instinct is to protect those he cares about – much the same can be said of you. We became pen pals for a while and eventually Harry seemed to get better from the sound of the letters – at least that is what I thought. As the end of the school year came Harry's letters started to change again. They became despondent – as if he feared something that he did not want to share."

"I should have pushed him harder to tell me what was on his mind... to let me help him; but I didn't. Instead I waited until he was ready to talk about what was bothering him. At the time I did not think anymore about it though and let it go – it should have been the first clue that things were not right."

"Then when the holidays started I started getting letters saying how useless he was... how much he was unwanted... how he would never fit in anywhere. Admittedly that should have been my second clue that something was not right; however I figured that with Harry being a teenager it was just teenage angst. There has not been a day that has gone by since you rescued him that I have not regretted my decision not to act."

"Did you know that this was the first Birthday party that Harry has ever had, he was not even allowed to go to his cousins. I feed him that first bite of cake for that simple fact. Harry did not know what to do – should he take a bite and risk it being taken away from him or should he just look at it."

Sirius, who had quietly listened to Charlie's mono log up to this point gasped, "What do you mean take it a way from him?" Sirius could not believe that anyone would do such a thing... it simply defied everything that he believed in. Could the Dursleys have been as cruel as that to with hold food from Harry and then tease him with it.

"Of course they would have, Black," Severus exclaimed from his spot in the shadows. He had silently followed the two wizards after seeing them in the hallway to make sure they did not disturb the young man sleeping down the hall. "They had no right to raise your godson and even less right to do what they did to him."

"After not being yelled at or forced to spit that first bite out Harry relaxed and enjoyed the cake. He still half expected to be forced to clean up after the cake and so refused to go to bed until everyone was done eating. You saw him he was falling asleep sitting there. I had no choice other then to carry him up to his room," Charlie continued. "I will never forget what he told me when I laid him into his bed..." Charlie stopped there and tried to stop the sob that was threatening to come forth.

"What did he say?" Remus asked stepping in from the hallway. Remus was going up to his room after helping Molly clean up the mess from the cake and could not help over hearing the last part of the conversation.

"He said that he hoped that whoever he was given to was as nice as me and would let him eat," Charlie answered with a slight catch in his voice. "He thinks that you want to get rid of him... that you are not going to have time for him. For the last almost fourteen years of his life Harry as been treated as less then a possession... less then a house elf. Can you imagine how he must feel right now; believing that this is his last night here. He wanted to commit the party to memory in case he never had another... wanted to remember the joy of having a party all his own."

"How could he think such a thing," Sirius demanded. "I would never make him leave... I would never send him a way. He is my godson and I love him. Doesn't he know that?"

"He knows you love him, Siri," Remus muttered patting his friend on the back. "However, Harry has had a hard day and it is only natural for some insecurities to come forth. Right now he feels like he let you down, that he was not strong enough. We have to convince him that he did not let us down... that we are prouder of him now then we ever were."

"But how do I do that?" Sirius wondered. In a way he understood how Harry felt yet he could not figure out how he was going to ever be able to convince him that he would never send him a way.

"I do not know the answer to that," Remus stated somberly. "I do however know that you are the best one to figure it out. How did James' parents make you feel wanted and cared for? When you came to them how did they convince you that they would not turn you a way."

"They never had to," Sirius responded. "Every time that I had doubts James was always the one that told me that I was safe there... that he would never let them send me a way."

"I would have to guess that the best thing right now would be for you not to turn Charlie a way," Severus responded. "It seems to me that Harry needs him now more then ever. By removing Charlie from Harry's life you would be convincing him that he did something wrong. Right now Harry needs all the support he can get. Other then that there is not much you can do right now other then be there for him and keep telling him that you care."

Sirius shot his head up at this – it was still hard for him to believe that Snape had changed so much... that he actually had a tender side to him. This was not the Snape that he knew from their school days. As hard as it was to equate this wizard to the boy he went to school with. The Death Eater that turned spy he wondered how hard it would be for Harry to grasp the concept that things had to change between the two when school started again.

"Then you do understand what it will be like," Severus muttered as if reading the other mans mind. "How hard it is going to be for that young man when term starts. As much as I would like to continue supporting him openly I can not – both for his own good and mine – you however will be able to."

Sirius nodded as he looked up at Remus who had not removed his hand from his shoulder, "Will you help me? Will you help me convince him that we still want him. That nothing he does will ever make us turn our backs on him."

Remus nodded as he finally lifted his hand from the other wizards shoulder. "We all will as much as we can the girls have already started plotting something. I think that for tonight we all should head to bed and get some sleep."

"Agreed," Sirius nodded as he rose from the chair. "Charlie, thank you, for everything that you have done. Thank you for being there for Harry and please continue to do so. I fear he may need all of us in the months a head."

"I would never abandon Harry unless you asked me too," Charlie responded with a yawn. It was getting late and they all needed to get some sleep before the sun rose in a few hours. With a final nod the wizards turned and headed to their respective rooms. It had been a long day for all of them only made longer by the discussion they had just had.

A/N: I usually do not do this but please read and review. IF you want me to respond to your review please give me at least a e-mail if you are making an anon review. I do read all of my reviews and try to respond to them. I again appologize for the long wait on this chapter; because of the wait I did not send this to a beta. So any mistakes are pearly mine and no one elses.


	13. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: The characters and places are not mine. I make no money off of this.

Beginning authors notes: Again I am sorry for the delay in this chapter, I think I must always seem to be apologizing lately. This time however I feel I must tell you what happened. I am a staff member on a wonderful HP site, that unfortunately crashed a week ago. As a member of the staff I had to help rebuild it from the bottom up – this included resorting all the old members and sorting the new ones. Since I am the main sorter this was my main job. I am happy to report though that we are back and running at full speed. If you want the site address please feel free to ask for it in a review or PM and I will be happy to give it to you.

Chapter 13

When Harry a woke the next morning he was unsure what to expect; part of him was still resigned to the fact that Sirius was going to throw him out while the other part knew that he would not. Harry knew that Sirius loved him and cared for him deeply however hew was unsure exactly how far that love would go... Sirius after all had not asked for anything in return for his love nor for the things that he did for Harry. This only added to Harry's misgivings about having a place to call home. Surely there was going to come a time when love was not enough.

With a resigned sigh Harry got out of bed to face the world once again and the uncertainty of it. Pulling on an over sized shirt and pair of jeans Harry started packing his trunk hoping that he would at least be allowed to bring what little Remus and Charlie had been able to retrieve from the Dursley's. When everything was packed Harry headed down to the kitchen in hopes that if he made breakfast for everyone he would be allowed to stay for a few more hours.

As Harry neared the kitchen his hopes of cooking breakfast were dashed as he smelled the aroma of chocolate chip pancakes and bacon cooking. Harry opened the door hoping that it was just Kreacher in the kitchen - as he could get rid of the house elf easily enough - he was disappointed to find that Emmaline was humming at the stove flipping the pancakes while Nymohadora was trying to pour the orange juice – more juice was getting on the counter then into the glasses though.

Hearing the door open both of the witches turned with a smile on their faces expecting to find Remus and Sirius who they had gotten to agree to help them with breakfast not that there was much left to do;, however, any help would be welcomed. Instead they found Harry standing at the door with a frown on his face staring at them through eyes shinning with unshed tears.

"Your up early," Nymphadora commented as she turned back to pouring the orange juice. Why there were tears in Harry's eyes the Auror had no idea but was determined to figure out. "Emme and I thought that you might enjoy pancakes this morning and are just finishing up. Why don't you go and see what is taking Sirius and Remus so long. They were suppose to be down here al ready."

With a nod Harry turned to leave the kitchen only to come face to face with a worried were wolf – Harry had no idea what would have Remus so upset but he dreaded finding out as he was sure it was something he had done.

"Morning, Harry," Remus greeted with a weak smile smelling the fear rolling off of his cub. "I was going to get you up before I came down to set the table for breakfast. However, went by your room I noticed the door wide open; I also noticed that your things are all packed. Do you want to tell us why that is?"

"Because..." Harry began with a sob in his voice.

"Do you still think that I am going to send you a way?" Sirius asked from behind Remus. Harry jerked his head up to look into his godfathers sad eyes as he nodded his head. "Because let me assure you that I am not going to. This is your home now Harry for as long as you want it to be and no one is going to kick you out of it."

"Admittedly, for your own safety as well as that of others there may be times that you will be asked to stay out of certain rooms. However you will never ever be told to leave the house. If anyone feels that you do not belong here they will be asked to leave not you. We love you Harry and nothing nothing you ever do will change that fact. Nor will it change the fact that this is your home to come and go as you like."

"But..." Harry began softly.

"You do not have to do anything to be welcomed in this house," Sirius continued as if he had not been interrupted. "We are all adults and as such we can all take care of ourselves. We can all cook, do the dishes and clean up after ourselves. Your job well you are here for the rest of the summer is to be a teenager – pull pranks on Mooney and me, do your homework, relax, read what you want, play loud music. We might ask you to help with some of the cleaning; only to help not do it all by yourself."

"If it would make you more comfortable we can come up with a schedule for cooking," Remus added sensing that this might in fact help Harry accept that he was wanted and needed by both Sirius and himself. "However, the schedule can be changed from day to day if need be. Remember we are a family of sorts and we will work together."

"Harry, I enjoy cooking as much as you do," Emmaline added from the stove where she was flipping the last of the pancakes. "I cook as much for myself as for everyone else. It relaxes me and calms me. I would however welcome help if you ever wanted to help me. Now however IU believe that the table needs to be set so we can eat before breakfast gets cold."

"Can I ask something?" Harry hesitantly ventured unsure if this was the right time to ask or not. When the four adults all nodded Harry continued. "Are the Weasleys going to be eating with us or did they all go home?"

"Actually, we would love to eat with you," Molly exclaimed from the door way. "I smelled something coming from the kitchen and hoped it was not one of the boys... they could burn water if given the chance."

Charlie who was behind his mother scowled at this and rolled his eyes. It had been years since he had ruined a meal but was not about to tell his mother. This morning was not about him being a fronted but about making Harry comfortable and if he had to suffer some falsies about his cooking so be it.

Molly proceeded into the room and started setting the table as the rest of her family started down the stairs. With a soft smile toward Harry she handed him the cutlery to set on the table to give him something to do besides stand around and think he was being useless. She after all did not raise seven children and not be able to read body language. Instinctively she knew that Harry needed to feel needed and of some use even if the others did not. Harry was not a child to shy a way from work nor was he one to do something to upset the ones around him.

When breakfast was completed Harry silently began gathering the dishes to take to the sink; noticing this Sirius was about to open his mouth and tell Harry not to do this when Molly shook her head. Confused Sirius stayed silent as Harry began washing the dishes while the others finished eating. When Charlie was done he went over to the sink and dried the dishes as Harry washed. As each person present finished they also appointed themselves a chore and the kitchen soon spotless.

"Harry, after you work on your summer school work for a little while do you want to bake some cookies with me?" Emmaline asked as she wiped off the last of the table. " I thought that we might bake a few batches and make a late night of playing games or something if you feel up to it. You do not have to of course if you do not want to. It is completely up to you. I seem to remember that when your mother would stay with me sometimes during the summer that we would do that same thing."

Harry did not know what to think, true he liked to bake and was not adverse to staying up late. But was Emmaline doing this just for him or because she wanted to... and what about everyone else? They had all been up late last night did they want to stay up late again just because of him. "If you want to," Harry murmured as he dried his hands and started toward the library to start on his home work. In truth he did not have that much to finish since he had been working on it since he arrived; still he had a Potions paper that was due and he was having problems with it.

"I would not have asked if I did not want to," Emmaline answered as she brushed some hair out of Harry's eyes. "What do you have left to do by the way?"

"Just my Potions essay," Harry muttered with a slight smile.

"Well if you need any help feel free to ask any of us. We might not be as good at Potions as we are at other subjects but we can help if you need it," Remus said as he put the last of the plates into the cupboard.

When Harry left the kitchen Molly started shoeing her children out of the kitchen so that the adults could have a private chat. She had noticed how reluctant Sirius had been through out the meal to let Harry do anything and this needed to be addressed without the children's ears around.

As the last of the children left Molly shut and warded the door, taking a revitalizing breath she turned to face the adults. "As a mother I feel I have a certain amount of insight into things related to children," she began. "We all want what is best for Harry. Right now he is feeling as if he is useless. Harry has always been a helpful child and to deny him that at this point could be hazardous."

"I am not saying to make him do everything," Molly continued when Sirius made to interject. "However, let him do small things such as the dishes and things like that. If he wants to help with the cooking let him. He is after all a fifteen year old boy and will soon be out on his own. Harry wants to be accepted – we all know that he is – and he needs to know that he is. By letting him do small things to help we are showing him that he is."

"So you are saying that if he wants to clean the attic to let him?" Sirius asked for clarification with a slight frown. He remembered that James parents had basically let him and James do whatever they wanted even if cleaning was the furthest from their teenage minds.

"If that is what he wants then yes," Arthur interjected. "There also has to be rules and consequences; Harry still needs to know that there are limits. In giving him limits you are showing him that you love him. By setting the consequences before he breaks the rules and sticking by them in time he will learn that you will not send him a way. This is the main problem that we are facing; the fact that he thinks that if he does anything wrong he will be sent a way."

"Also, offering to help him with his homework was a wonderful idea," Molly picked up. "You offered your help if it is needed without censor. It was the first of many steps that may be needed to get him to the point that he should be at. Right now he needs to feel that he can come to us if he is having problems with something

Later that day Sirius along with Remus sat Harry down to discuss what they all expected of each other. Both of the adults were sure to remind Harry through out the discussion that he was wanted and loved and to reassure him that nothing he did would change that.


	14. Chapter 14

The last month had been fairly uneventful with only a handful of flashbacks none of which were all that bad. The worse had been the week before when Remus and Sirius had to leave early for Hogwarts for a staff meeting and to get the last of their class plans ready. Harry had regressed back to thinking that they were trying to get rid of him, it had taken the combined forces of all four of them and Charlie to convince him that they were not leaving him they just had to get some things set up for the school year. It was only after many hugs and loving words that Harry relaxed enough to realize that they were telling the truth. In the end he had even offered to go to the Burrow and stay there so that Emmaline and Dora could accompany Remus and Sirius to Hogwarts. This idea was also summarily rejected as Sirius pointed out that a parent did not just drop their children off with another family when they were too busy to take care of them. In the end Remus and Sirius had left for Hogwarts a little late for the first meeting and Harry had stayed at Grimauld with Emmaline and Dora who were working opposite shifts at the Ministry until that morning.

Harry sat staring out the window of the Hogwarts Express in his compartment waiting for Ron and Hermione to show up. Emmaline and Dora had dropped him off earlier that morning on their way to the Ministry. They had shortened Nymphadora's name to Dora after many threats of hexing on her part since Sirius flat out refused to call her Tonks and Remus and Emmaline had pointed out that calling her by her last name was counterproductive to showing Harry what a family unit was like.

With the rising threat of Voldemort it had been decided by the Order that at least one active Order member should be working at the Ministry at all times. It was made easier that Kingsley was heading the Auror division and had clout as to who was working and when. He had also worked out a schedule so that one of the girls could be with Harry at all times.

That morning had been unlike any that Harry had ever had. Instead of getting yelled at to hurry up and get his lazy butt in gear or to make sure that he had not left any of his freaky belongs behind or they would be burned like the previous years Dora had actually offered to help him pack. When Harry had said that he already had everything packed Emmaline had started listing things he may have forgotten. As they were stepping out of the house to appirate away Emmaline had stated that if he had in fact forgotten anything either her or Dora would stop by on their way to or from work to get it later, they were after all staying at the castle and commuting to the Ministry during the year.

Harry was brought out of his revere by the sound of the compartment door sliding open and a bushy haired head appearing followed by a red head. "There you are, Harry," the girl exclaimed as soon as she spotted the dark haired boy. "We have been looking all over the train for you."

Harry flinched a way when Hermione plopped herself down onto the bench next to him and threw her arms around him. IT was not uncommon for her to do this with either him or Ron; right now though Harry could not help the inevitable flinch the action caused. "Mate, what is wrong," Ron asked noticing the flinch of his friend. "We are your friends and we want to help if we can."

"Harry, you can talk to us," Hermione said concern lacing her words. "Did you flinch because of the story in the news paper? IF you did we understand we really do. But you need to talk about this. All the research says that it is not good to hold things in. You should also know that we will not judge you. Please, Harry, we are your friends and want to help you get through this."

Harry only sighed and tried to move away from the girl that still had her arm around his shoulders to no avail, he was really feeling cluster phobic at this point and all he wanted to do was get as far away from them as he could. Hastily Harry rose from the bench to go find another empty compartment only to be met by a blond at the door. "Going somewhere, Potter?" The blond asked with a raised eyebrow. "I would not if I were you, at least not without your bodyguards in tow."

"Unlike you, Malfoy, Harry can take care of himself and does not need bodyguards all the time," Hermione broke in as she and Ron stood from their seats and stood on each side of their friend close enough to affair their support but far enough not to make him flinch.

"That is not what they say in the Prophet," Draco continued. "According to the paper he could not even defend himself against a muggle gorilla."

Harry's face blanched at the mention of his uncle and he sank to the floor and started rocking back and forth with a far off glazed look in his eyes. Draco was right he was weak… He should have been able to defend himself against Vernon… He had magical powers and Vernon did not.

Draco stared at the messy haired boy rocking on the floor and wondered what he had done to bring on such a reaction. Harry had never reacted like this to his insults before. Was what Severus said been true, that the boy was hurt more then he let on to the outside world? Had Draco gone too far with his insults, what was he suppose to do now? He was glad that he had lost Grabbe and Coyle along the way as he was searching for the Harry. He had promised his godfather that he would try and help the – boy – who – lived and look at the mess he had made of it already. He felt helpless as he watched the boy drowned himself in what must only be memories.

"What is going on here?" A voice demanded from the doorway to the compartment. "We have not even started this trip and the four of you are already causing trouble. I think that will be …" The tall red head cut himself off as he saw Harry sitting on the floor and rocking back and forth without saying a word.

"Charlie, what are you doing here?" Ron asked with a puzzled look at his older brother. He had no idea what to do. His best friend was sitting on the floor not responding to any of them and his older brother was standing in the door with a sour look on his face. He knew he more than likely was in a lot of trouble and he did not know how to get out of this.

"Ron, go to the first compartment and floo Remus and Sirius," Charlie directed as if he were about to head into a battle, in some ways he was. It was not a battle like most people thought nor one that was going to be outwardly bloody but bloody it may well be. "Malfoy, go see if you can find a different floo and call professor Snape, I think we may need him here as well." Charlie directed when Ron had excited. "Do not let anyone know what is happening here except for the professor."

Draco hurriedly obeyed glad to have something to do now and left the compartment after casting a quick locking charm on the door. There was no need for anyone besides those that had already seen what had happened to witness this. Draco hurried to the back of the train and into another compartment where he drew a mirror from one of his pockets. When Draco had voiced his desire not to join the Dark Lord that summer Severus had given him the mirror saying that he had the other one, if the teen ever needed him he was to use the mirror to contact him. Draco had been surprised as he was sure that Severus would have just as soon taken him to Voldemort himself then help him. Draco had taken a chance when he went to his uncle hoping that the rumors were true for once and his uncle was indeed a spy for the light. Severus had asked for only one thing in return and he had already messed that up royally.

"What are you doing here?" A soft voice asked before Draco was able to make contact with professor Snape. "And where are your goons? You are never seen without them close by."

Draco fought the blush that was threatening to overtake his face as he was addressed by the youngest Weasley offspring. Luck was surely not his friend today. Everywhere he went he was running into Weasley's however this was the one he least wanted to run into. Over the summer around the time that he realized he wanted nothing to do with the Dark Lord and his views he had realized that he had a crush on Ginny Weasley, something he did not dare tell his father or mother about.

"Sorry I did not realize that there was anyone here," Draco muttered as he made to leave the compartment. "Maybe I should just go and…"

"Why are you here?" Ginny cut the blond off as she stood up. She had noticed the blush and was determined to find out what that was about. "I know my brother is doing rounds right now but I do not think that he would mind if you were in the hall and you all but ran into the compartment. So what is going on? Are we being attacked and you needed some place to hide or what? Because if you did you can hide here and I will defend you."

Draco scuffed at the thought of needing the girl to defend him. HE could certainly take care of himself if there was an attack. "I just wanted to find a private place to call Professor Snape, "Draco said as he showed her the mirror in his hand. Draco had no idea why he was telling the redhead all of this but he was sure that a Weasley would do anything for Potter.

Charlie watched Draco take off and felt the locking charm cast as the door shut. He was taking a risk insuring the notification of Snape with the boy. Severus had assured him that the Malfoy heir was on their side but he still had his doubts. Pushing thoughts of deceit to the back of his head Charlie turned his attention back to the corrowing boy and the girl who knelt at his side. "Hermione, do not touch him," Charlie instructed the girl as he watched her reach out for Harry as if to give him a hug. "Talk to him softly and wait for him to come around. Reassuring him that we are not going to hurt him and that he is safe. Sirius and Remus should be here soon as well as Snape, if Draco follows the instructions that I have given him. Let Harry make the first move as far as contact is involved."

Hermione nodded and started talking in a calm reassuring voice hoping that the adults would be there soon. She told him how much his friendship meant to her and that she would not let anything hurt him. She made promises that she hoped she could keep and told him of her hopes and fears for the year to come.

She was in the middle of a tale about quidditch when the door opened reveling not only Sirius and Remus but Dora, Emmaline and Severus. "What happened?" Sirius asked moving toward Harry and Hermione. "What set him off like this? He was doing so well before we left."

"I did," Draco said quietly stepping out from behind his godfather. "I said some things and then he feel apart and this happened. I did not mean for this to happen."

"Harry, come on pup," Sirius began squatting down next to Hermione. "You are save now and no one is going to hurt you. Remus and the girls are here too and we will protect you. Nothing is going to happen."

Severus sent a stern look toward his godson as he reached into his robe pocket and withdrew a calming drought and handed it to the animagus. "See if you can get him to take this," He instructed as he grabbed hold of Draco. "Mr. Malfoy and I need to have a little chat I think."

"Do not be too hard on him, Severus," Remus muttered not taking his eyes off of the teen on the floor. "He did the best he could. We all had our reservations about establishing first contact on the train."

Sev/ Draco

The Potion Master just nodded his head as he stepped back into the hall with his hand still firmly around Draco's wrist. Severus did not let go of Draco's arm until they were safely in an empty compartment and a silencing charm had been cast to keep their privacy. "What were you thinking? How could you cause him more pain then he already has. I told you before you got on the train to tread carefully."

"What was I suppose to do?" Draco countered. "I could not just ask him to open up to me or what was wrong. What would the others think if I did that? What would his friends think? At least this way I have earned some of their respect for getting you."

Severus had to admit that Draco had a point. This many have been the best way to deal with the problem at hand. However were they going to be able to deal with the fall out? If word reached the Dark Lord about the fact that Draco had helped Harry he would undoubtedly demand that Draco be brought to him, his involvement could easily be explained as a duty to the school.

The two Slytherins talked for a few more minutes before Severus took his leave and returned to the school. Neither noticed that they were indeed not a lone until a head of long red hair came into view around the door. "Malfoy, are you alright?" Ginny asked in a worried voice. "Snape can be a pain from time to time."

Draco stared at the youngest Weasley with incredibility. What was she doing asking if he was alright? What business of hers was it? Did she not have something better to do then worry about him; she should be worried about Potter instead of him. More importantly why did she care? Draco had realized sometime last year that the Weasley girl did have some good qualities about her and he was not averse to getting to know her better. Ginny was a lot better than Pansy or any of the other Slytherin girls. However he doubted he even had a chance with the girl. She was a Gryffindor and he was a Slytherin. The two of them would more than likely have nothing in common. "I am fine," Draco sneered realizing where his thoughts were heading. "Not that is any of your concern, traitor." Draco remarked as he brushed past the girl only to get his arm caught in a tight hold.

"You may still think me a traitor," Ginny said deathly quiet. "However I wonder what that makes you then. You did not have to get Professor Snape. The old you would never have done that unless you were going to get one of us in trouble. I know there is more to this then you are letting on and I want to help. I can tell that you do not want to join the side of the dark. Let me help you."

"You nothing about me," Draco said as he pulled his arm a way. "Go back to your friends and try to safe them. I do not want to be saved." Draco knew that he had hurt the girl but he could just not stop himself. All he wanted to do was pull her into his arms yet he had said the most hurtful of words to her. IT had hurt him as much if not more to say them. However he was determined not to set himself up to get turned down. HE would rather look from a far and dream then allow the girl to get close to him only to turn him down. He wanted more from her then a short term fling he wanted all of her.

Harry/ Hermione

The compartment was crowded with everyone inside but Hermione did not notice as she kept up with her endless tales. She did not notice the Sirius and Remus were there until the two men each put an arm around her shoulders. She kept talking to Harry as her brain worked over everything she had read that summer in her research. It hurt her more and more each passing moment Harry remained like this. Finally Emmaline and Nymphadora pulled Hermione a way from Harry so his godfather could administer the potion and at least get him onto the seat.

Hermione watched as Remus effortlessly picked Harry up off the floor and moved him onto one of the seats. She was only slightly surprised when Sirius set his godson on his lap after coaxing him to swallow the potion. With Remus sitting on one side of Sirius Hermione took her chances and sat on the other. "Is it always this bad?" Hermione asked as she brushed a hand through Harry's thick curly black hair before removing his glasses to make him more comfortable.

"This was the worse it has been for about a month," Remus said as he watched the girl with a slight smile. The wolf in him could tell that there was more than simple friendship between the two even if it was one sided. "I think going back to the school was a little too much for him. We were hoping that he might be able to handle it although we did have our doubts."

"Is there anything that I can do?" Hermione asked as she watched her friend. "I know all the experts say that talking is the best therapy. However, I think he needs more than that."

"Just keep doing what you are doing," Sirius said as he rocked Harry on his lap. "If it gets to bad well he is at school come and get one of us. We have to leave this up to Harry at this point. With the war and everything else he has to worry about… I do not know… I wish the5re was a way to take some of the pressure off of him."

"I will do whatever I can," Hermione said with a smile.


End file.
